Pop's Mansion
by Kadaj5
Summary: The Ojamajos have won a mansion! But when her friends vanish while investigating it, Pop as to go in there alone and find a way to stop the forces that rest within! More-or-less a parody of Luigi's Mansion. Rated T for mild language and grievous injury. Please R&R. AU and slight OOC.
1. Won a Mansion?

**A/N: My Halloween fic, which is more or less a parody of "Luigi's Mansion". I'm uploading it early because I can. I'm going to time it's ending with (or around) 31/10/12 and upload the chapters one-by-one; this one and chapter two are the exceptions because they were uploaded on the same day. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Won a mansion? !-

* * *

Pop walked through the dimly-lit forest with uncertainty. Was it _supposed_ to be this dark and spooky? And why did it have to be so foreboding as well? Pop shook the feeling and continued onwards. She knew of only two forests in Majo Kai that were like this. One of them had lost that quality just before Hana forced-aged herself. This one wasn't either of them.

Eventually, she came to her destination. The rose-haired Ojamajo pulled out the picture in confusion. It depicted a lush, bright, and cheery landscape, the center of which was dominated by a huge, lustrous mansion. She put it away and saw the mansion, which was clearly nothing like the picture.

The mansion resembled something out of a horror story. None of the lights were on except two, the arrangement of which giving the impression of a monster waiting to open its mouth and devour anyone who drew near.

Pop, not noticing the surroundings, went against common sense and approached the door. "P-pipitto Purito P-p-uritan Peperuto!" Pop shakily chanted, "Flashlight, come out!"

In a puff of smoke, a flashlight appeared. She took it and went inside.

* * *

If the outside didn't give the impression of a haunted house, then the inside made sure it did. Cobwebs and dust were everywhere yet the furniture wasn't in disarray.

Confused, Pop gave the room a closer look. Above her was a massive chandelier, bigger than any she had ever seen. At around its level was a balcony with stairs on either side that began on her floor. The area underneath the balcony was nothing but a solid wall.

"Minna-san?" Pop called out, "Onee-chan!" No answer. _That's strange. _thought Pop, _They should've met me here._ Pop went up the stairs, finding a door. _Maybe they went exploring?_

Steadily, Pop reached for the knob and twisted it, only to find it locked.

_Sorry I asked._

Pop went back down the stairs. She was about to leave when something caught her eye. It was another door, just underneath the balcony. But that was the problem: since when was a door there?

Gritting her teeth, Pop made her way to the door, finding it covered in thorny vines. Pop was about to reach for the knob but noticed what appeared to be pulsing waves rippling from its center. Shadow Pop reached for the knob regardless, only to retract her hand. The door had only given a light shock, but Pop assumed that prolonged contact wouldn't be wise.

Pop decided that leaving and returning with help would be the best idea. She turned the knob, but the door wouldn't open. Pop's blood turned to ice as she frantically tried again with the knob and continued pulling at the door. It wouldn't budge.

"No…no…t-this c-c-can't be happening!" Pop was in full panic mode. She had entered into an obviously haunted mansion expecting her friends and sister and got absolutely nothing for the trouble. Giving into the despair, she went to a corner and curled up while silently berating herself for being so stupid.

Pop didn't know how much time had passed when she came to.

_I guess I fell asleep_, she thought. At that time, she noticed a faint shimmer hovering above the balcony. Curious yet afraid, she climbed the stairs to get a closer look. But by the time she made it, the shimmer had already faded. Pop was about to turn around when something caught her eye. Pop went and picked it up and discovered that it was a key.

_Maybe this…_ Pop, suddenly feeling brave, wasted no time in putting the key into the lock. She turned it until she heard a click and then quickly removed the key. But by then, the burst of fearlessness she had vanished just as suddenly as it had come. She hesitated at first but finally brought herself to turn the door knob. The door creaked open…

* * *

Pop entered the now open door and came into the room behind it. She took a look around and noticed that there were several chairs and recliners.

_A parlor?_ Pop thought. She figured it was ironic but then remembered that it was a mansion; it could have whatever room the owner desired. _Makes sense, I guess. The first room was a foyer after all._

Taking another look, she saw that there were a number of cabinets holding what appeared to be sets of fine china, wine glasses, and books. Lit candles had been placed on them, but they shed next to no illumination. The ones at the far end were purple for some reason.

Pop, feeling her fear lift a bit, decided to check out some of the things in the room. She started approaching when she felt a massive wave of fear; it came upon her like a ton of bricks, rooting her to the spot. Her heart raced, and her breathing accelerated.

And then it appeared before her. It had an orange glow and looked like a bell, but its features were dripping with some kind of fluid that vanished the moment it hit the floor. The first word that came to Pop's mind was "ghost", but this thing looked too comical, as though someone had done a bad job at painting it. The fiend licked its fangs and pursed its lips into a smile.

Pop was once again in full panic mode. She retreated but her foot snagged on something, causing her to fall over. Still, she continued to crawl away from the monstrosity. It approached her with that hungry look in its eye.

_Sonna!_ Pop mentally cried, _This can't be how I end! Somebody? Anybody? _The fiend was now about a foot away from her face. _Somebody. HELP ME!_

In an instant, the fiend, smiling maliciously, drew back and then lunged at her. Pop shut her eyes, expecting to be skewered on its fangs any second.

"I don't think so!" shouted a voice. It was followed by what sounded like a blast of magic.

Pop hesitantly opened her eyes. To her astonishment, another being had entered the room. Her clothes marked her as a Witch, but her style included a familiar set of goggles. Pop knew who this was: Majo Toron, the resident scientist of Majo Kai and the one who invented her friend's porons!

Majo Toron was wielding what seemed to be a large vacuum and was busy using it. The fiend was fleeing from her, but the suction from the vacuum was zeroing in and trying to suck it up. It flew around the room, pulling Majo Toron with it until she could no longer keep her ground. She fell over, allowing the fiend to drag her along the ground. Finally, it retaliated with a single solid fist.

Majo Toron was thrown by the fiend's attack and right into the wall. The scientific Witch landed in a heap while the fiend laughed at her before vanishing with a satisfied look. Pop rushed to Majo Toron.

"Majo Toron! Majo Toron!" Pop shouted, "Daijoubu? Majo Toron!"

"…uugghhh…" Majo Toron groaned, "That could've gone better- Argh!~" Majo Toron gave a quick glance at her leg. "Ok. That DEFINITELY could've gone better!"

Pop gently touched it, but Majo Toron's wincing told Pop all she needed to know. _It's broken._

"Gomennasai, Majo Toron," Pop said, "I should've-"

"Don't you worry, Pop-chan," Majo Toron replied, "I'll live."

"Well, at least let me help." Pop got out her poron. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Cast, come out!"

Pop's magic wrapped around Majo Toron's broken leg, setting the bone properly and transforming into a cast.

"Arigatou, Pop-chan." Majo Toron smiled. She then sighed with aggravation. "I swear this mansion gets more of those fiends with each day!"

"Eh?" Pop peeped, "Don't you mean 'ghosts'?"

"Not in the slightest." Majo Toron gave another aggravated sigh. "Those things aren't ghosts, they're artificial. And they're being mass produced at an alarming rate. I've been coming in here for the past few days, trying to gather them up! But they just keep coming! No end in sight!

"And now I've gone and broken my leg. I need both to keep steady while I work the Supernatural Vac-Drive. I can't catch any more like this."

"Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Do you know if my friends and Onee-chan are in here?"

"I still need to-"

Majo Toron was interrupted by the reappearance of the fiend. It was followed by two more that looked exactly the same.

"I told you they were being mass produced!" Majo Toron shouted, "Let's get out of here before things get ugly!"

"Un!" Pop agreed.

They were about to turn tail and run when the expressions on the fiend's changed suddenly. Instead of the murderous fang-filled smile they enjoyed using, they had a look of fear. All three of them flew off and vanished.

"Alright! They're gone!" Pop cheered.

"This isn't good," Majo Toron said with clear fear in her voice, "We have to go. NOW!"

"Eh?"

Pop didn't have to wait long for an answer. She didn't know how, but the parlor seemed to change form right before her eyes. It still resembled a parlor, but that was all buried underneath what seemed to be a toy room. She then saw something moving above them. It looked like a doll of some sort, but it appeared to have been scribbled by a six-year-old girl. It rode on what looked like a plane; the plane quickly changed into a boat and then into a car, never staying in one form for more than a few moments.

Majo Toron grit her teeth and snapped her fingers. At once, she and Pop vanished in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Pop's eyes were still wide with shock when she came to. On one hand, she was likely traumatized by the experience. On the other, she was glad to be alive.

Pop took a quick glance at the place Majo Toron took her to. There were several gadgets, gizmos, and plans scattered on top of several tables. But now Pop had questions. Several burning questions.

"Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Wh-what was that thing? And where are we at?"

Majo Toron turned to the young Ojamajo. "Well, I definitely have some explaining to do. For starters, we're at the Magic Research Center."

* * *

**A/N: I can confirm that the thing Majo Toron and Pop saw before escaping was Anja from **_**Puella Magi Madoka Magica**_**. For those who don't know: Anja is a familiar/minion to the Witch Albertine.**

**This fic also references events that occurred during "Ojamajo: The Fusion Incident". Spoilers for the story will be present but unknown.**

**Disclaimer: Ojamajo Doremi is copyright Toei Animation; Puella Magi Madoka Magica is copyright Studio Shaft; Luigi's Mansion is copyright Nintendo. I own nothing but the fic.**


	2. Twin Tales and Training

**A/N: This chapter gives exposition. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Twin Tales and Training-

* * *

Pop remembered this place. Even though she hadn't been there the first time her sister and her friends visited, they still told her about it. This included the exploding inventions and getting their porons refilled.

Majo Toron used her magic to summon a wheelchair. "Help me in this thing, please?"

"Sure," Pop replied. It was difficult, but she eventually got Majo Toron into the wheel chair. "Um, Majo Toron?"

"I know. I'll get right to it."

"That's not it. Before I hear anything else form you, I'd like to give my own side of things."

"Well, your side will help clear things up." Majo Toron straightened her goggles. "All right, I'm all ears!"

Pop cleared her throat.

* * *

**[ { ( O ) } ]**

* * *

_It was early one day. I had just arrived at the Mahou Dou to help out Onee-chan and the others. It would've been just another day had Majorin not stopped by with a message._

"EH? !" Doremi exclaimed, "A mansion? ! In Majo Kai? !"

"Hai," Majorin replied, "You seven have won it fair and square."

_Their reactions varied. Doremi-chan was ecstatic; owning her own mansion would've practically guaranteed her having steak every night for the rest of her life._

_Hazuki-chan was a little more neutral since she already lived in a large fancy house; she ultimately thought about going to visit every now and then._

_Ai-chan thought about finding a way to transfer it to Ningen Kai so she and her parents could live in it together instead of their current houses._

_Onpu-chan knew she would likely end up living in one anyway; she was going to receive several benefits from having her career take off when she made it to Hollywood. She did look a little worried though._

_Momo-chan thought about it and decided she wanted to have it transferred to Ningen Kai. She didn't say why for some reason._

_Hana-chan didn't care as long as she got to stick with everyone, though she did enjoy the idea of being treated frequently._

_I wasn't sure if I wanted to live in a mansion right yet; I was still weighing the decision when I got there._

_In the end, they all nodded "yes" to the offer._

"Very well," Majorin said, "I will give you a map and description of the place."

"Arigatou, Majorin," Doremi replied, taking the piece of paper presented to her.

"Wait just one minute, Doremi-chan," Onpu interjected, "How did we win this mansion? I don't recall any of us ever entering a contest."

"It's a random drawing," Majorin replied, "Entry isn't needed. And it's open to apprentices."

_We looked at each other and then at looked at Majorin. She cast a shadow, so it had to be safe._

"Congratulations and farewell," Majorin said.

_Majorin-san nodded her head and snapped her fingers, vanishing in a puff of smoke and returning to Majo Kai._

"Well everyone?" Doremi began, "The moon will be smiling tonight, so we can go check it out!"

"I don't know, Doremi-chan," Onpu replied, "Majorin was acting kind of fishy."

"She had a shadow, so it wasn't Evil Rin," said Aiko.

_In the end, everyone nodded in agreement, except for, well…_

"I can't, Onee-chan," Pop lamented, "I have dates with my other boyfriends." Pop then perked up. "I can come by later after I'm done!"

"Well, don't be late," Doremi replied, "Or we might have to have some 'Pop' to drink!" Doremi snickered a bit at her joke. The others didn't look impressed. "Eh heh heh! Gomen ne, minna. Force of habit?"

_If it was one thing I didn't like about the aftermath of _that_ incident, it was that change in Onee-chan's personality that caused her to become a bit of a prankster._

* * *

**[ { ( O ) } ]**

* * *

"And that's it," Pop finished, "Did you…did you catch anything that shouldn't be happening there?"

Majo Toron gave some thought and analyzed the story. It wasn't long before she had a response. "Hmm… This has suspicious written all over it." The inventive Witch was about to get up, but the pain from her broken leg forced her back down. "Ok, bad idea." She cleared her throat. "Well, for starters, Jou-sama seldom just _gives_ mansions away, especially in random drawings. Second, I think you actually _have_ to enter into one of these just to have a chance at a prize."

Pop's eyes went wide. Why would Majorin do this? Why would she lure them into a trap this dangerous? What was she thinking? ! What were her friends and sister thinking? !

"I also have another thing to point out," Majo Toron asked, breaking Pop's train of thought, "Did you say Majorin came to the Mahou-Dou today?"

"Well, that's kind of what I did say," Pop replied, "Majorin came earlier today to give us the news."

Majo Toron put her hand to her chin in thought. "I believe someone was impersonating Majorin. It couldn't have been her since she hasn't once been to Ningen Kai in the past week-"

"Then it had to have been Majo Isabelle!" Pop exclaimed, "She casts a shadow and she does have a grudge against Jou-sama and Majorin for ruining her plots! So she-"

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron half-shouted, making Pop stop, "It couldn't have been Majo Isabelle either because she was taken to the clinic with severe injuries."

"Eh?"

"Someone had come in and given her a beating and ransacked her lair. From what I've heard, she was found in quite an embarrassing position." Majo Toron sighed. "I guess the humiliation is what's been keeping her quiet."

"But then, who?" Pop gave a worried look.

"Well, I can give some idea," Majo Toron spoke up, "And if I give my side, then it'll be two birds with one stone."

"Ok, Majo Toron." Pop braced herself. "I'll ask the questions, ok?"

"Hai."

"Well first off, why is that mansion haunted with all those ghosts?"

Majo Toron face-palmed. "I already told you, Pop-chan: Those aren't ghosts. Because. They're artificial!"

"Well, arti-ghosts then! Why are there arti-ghosts in there?" Pop's tone was nearly demanding. _I need to use something less generic than 'arti-ghosts'._

Majo Toron face-palmed once again. "Gomen ne, Pop-chan." She sighed again. "I already said: They're being mass-produced somewhere within that mansion."

Pop looked down in self-pity. She didn't want to be a hindrance anymore and decided to get to the point.

"Do you know if Onee-chan and the others are there?" Pop asked, looking up at Majo Toron.

"I do." Majo Toron wheeled herself over to an elevator. "Come with me."

Pop followed and the two of them descended. It didn't take long for the twosome to enter another part of the Magic Research Center. Pop's eyes widened in amazement.

The room looked like a massive computerized complex. It was circular, the center of it dominated by what appeared to be a raised holo-grid. Terminals lined to walls aside from a few set aside for doorways.

"When did-?" Pop began.

"Let's just say I was rewarded with enough to expand on this place after _that_ incident and leave it at that." Majo Toron went over to a terminal and activated it. The holo-grid activated and began glowing. In the space of a few seconds, a holographic image of a mansion appeared. There was no mistaking it: It was the same mansion that Pop had entered just a few minutes earlier. "I had a scan on it ever since it appeared a few days ago. And when a segment catches my attention, I record it."

"Sugoi!" Pop exclaimed. She then shook her head to get back on track. "Do you have a recording that involves them?"

"Hai! And I'll bring it up right now!" Majo Toron typed in a combination on the terminal. At once, the mansion hologram seemed to reset and changed into a cross-section view. "I just hope you're ready, Pop-chan."

Pop watched as the scene played out. There were six dots, one pink, orange, blue, purple, yellow, and white. Guessing that the different colors represented the theme colors of the Ojamajos, Pop continued watching.

She saw them enter through the foyer and go up the stairs and, predictably, enter the parlor. To her surprise, they quickly left it and tried to leave out the front door. Pop clutched her heart when she realized they had run into the same trap she did; the front door locking them in.

She then saw them entering through the bottom door and into the hall behind it. It was there that something apparently spooked and scattered them. Pop could only watch in horror as they became more and more distant.

Aiko's dot was at a far point on the ground floor when it suddenly vanished. Hazuki's and Momoko's were also on the ground floor when theirs vanished too. Onpu's was on the third floor. Hana's vanished somewhere on the second.

Doremi was a different story. She was at a far point in the basement level. Pop watched and waited, but hers did not vanish at all.

"Majo Toron?" Pop asked as she turned to the inventive Witch.

"We'll have to fear the worst, Pop-chan," Majo Toron grimly replied, "When your dot appeared, I got there as fast as I could. I made it just in time." Majo Toron looked again at the holographic mansion. It no longer showed the recording, but Doremi's dot was still at her final point in the basement level. "I re-watch it every now and then to try and-"

Majo Toron didn't get a chance to continue explaining when Pop rushed up to her and wrapped her arms around the inventive Witch.

"Arigatou, Majo Toron!" Pop cried, "Y-you risked your life to save mine. Arigatou!"

"Pop-chan daijoubu," Majo Toron replied. She tried to find the words, but they kept slipping before she could say them.

Pop released Majo Toron from her grip and gave a much more serious expression. "If Onee-chan and Hazuki-chan, Ai-chan, Onpu-chan, Momo-chan, and Hana-chan are trapped in there, then I'll save them!"

"But Pop-chan! You're just a child!"

"I know. But I have to do this. I have to." Pop looked at Majo Toron's leg. "You're also hurt, Majo Toron. If you go in there like that, then they will kill you! Please! Let me go in there and save them!"

Majo Toron gave a long thought. "Very well. But you're not going in there without proper equipment."

* * *

_**Three minutes of practice later…**_

* * *

"Ok, now that I've got in some practice," Pop began, "How long did you say that mansion was there again?"

"I never said," Majo Toron replied, "In truth though, it's only been there for about a week; it actually appeared a few days after Majo Isabelle got attacked."

"We really walked right into that one then," Pop lamented, "Demo ne, if it's only been there for a week, then who built it?"

"The Shadow Ojamajos," Majo Toron replied grimly.

Pop was shocked. "Eh? Eh? EH? !" the rose-haired Ojamajo shouted in confusion, "But we worked together last time! We even put aside our differences! How can they do this now?"

"That's the one thing about the Shadows," Majo Toron replied, "It's impossible to tell what's on their minds and what they'll do next. But what they did hasn't changed; they built this mansion and I'm willing to bet that they're the ones responsible for this mess."

Pop dropped to her knees. After everything they all went through in _that_ incident and they STILL had it in them to be enemies.

_Hana-chan was wrong,_ Pop mentally lamented, _Befriending the Shadows is out of the question. Always has been and always will._ Pop clenched her fist. A fire could be seen in her eyes. "I will make our Shadows pay for this. And when I come back, I will have Onee-chan and the others back safe and sound!"

"Before you go, I have to warn you about one thing," Majo Toron said urgently, "Do you remember that thing that drove off the other fiends? The thing you had asked about when we first came here?"

"H-hai?"

"A contact of mine, Shadow Ruka, called them 'familiars'. I do not know what they really are, but they are far different from the fiends. They are immune to the Supernatural Vac-Drive and easily shrug off our magic. If you run into one, run. Don't ask questions, don't look back, just run."

Pop grimaced at the name of Majo Toron's contact. Shadow Ruka may have been against her fellow Shadows, but she was in league with another foe named Kada. As a result, trusting her was almost always out of the question even though she hadn't really seen much action.

Pop decided not to worry herself with Shadow Ruka and paid more attention to Majo Toron.

"But, maybe I can-"

Majo Toron shook her head. "I've tried. I really have tried. But my magic does little to no damage. And it's impossible to tell if they'll show up." Majo Toron turned to the holo-grid. "What's worse is that they don't show up on the scan." Pop glanced at it and saw that some of the rooms were blacked out. "I have no idea why some of them are blacked out, but they weren't like that before."

"Well, that explains that," Pop said, "Are you sure there's nothing I can do against the familiars, Majo Toron?"

Majo Toron put her hand to her chin in thought. "Well, I had sent a request to Majo Glace to study ice magic. I sent similar requests to the other Elemental Witches to study their magic. I was given Medallions for Ice, Fire, Water, Sky, Earth, Light, and Darkness...with Jou-sama's aid, of course."

"How good are they against the arti-ghosts?" Pop asked.

"I don't know. They were stolen by the Shadow Ojamajos before I got the chance to put them to use…except one." Maj Toron produced a medallion. It was jet black in color and depicted a crushing force. "The Medallion of Darkness…and its power only made the fiends stronger!"

"Darn it!" Pop got a look of confusion. "But have you tested it out on the familiars?"

"I haven't had the chance."

"Then maybe if-"

"We don't know for sure." Majo Toron rubbed her chin in thought once again. "If one of those things corners you, then try to use the Dark Medallion's power." Majo Toron produced a small trinket. "This device will let you use raw Elemental Energy. Its gauge can be refilled with a singly spell, but your magic is limited. I can provide refills on Magic Spheres, but you still have to use them wisely. I only have so many."

"Arigatou," Pop replied as Majo Toron use her magic to install the device.

"If you're going there alone, then you will need this." Majo Toron handed another device to Pop. It was a handheld with a screen and buttons on it, but it was no gaming system. "This is the Majo All-in-One Communicator. With it, you can scan objects at short range and keep in contact. It also has a map of the place and helps keep track of where you are in the mansion. I've also noticed that some things tend to activate when scanned though…"

Pop didn't say anything; she simply nodded in thanks.

"I should also mention that it has a translator too," Majo Toron added, "Whenever those familiars showed up, there were strange runes with them. Shadow Ruka assisted in translating them and they could hold a secret to defeating those things."

"Runes?" Pop asked, her curiosity piqued, "I don't recall any runes when that familiar showed up, Majo Toron. Gomennasai."

"The All-in-One has a complete list."

Pop, with a slight crash-course in operating the handheld, checked the inventory and quickly found the runes. She noted that they were based on the English alphabet and so had to refer to a translator to get them in Japanese.

_This translator sucks,_ thought Pop, _Where's Momo-chan when you need her?_ Pop didn't like the "translation's" quality, but she did snicker inside from the translated words.

"That about covers it, Pop-chan," Majo Toron surmised, "Unless I'm forgetting something?"

Pop shook her head. "I'll be fine."

* * *

Pop was now outside the Magic Research Center. It was originally a small building on stilts with a radio dish on top. Now it resembled a small fortress with twisting towers like those of the Castle itself…and the radio dish was still there.

_I guess Majo Toron likes that dish_, thought Pop.

Majo Toron was in the open doorway. "Good luck, Pop-chan!"

"Arigatou, Majo Toron!" Pop replied. A quick glance around revealed that they were situated in the same dark forest as the mansion. A second glance revealed the mansion itself, though it was only visible due to its size. _Don't worry mina-san. I'm coming. And I _will_ save you all!_

And with those thoughts of confidence, Pop summoned her broom and flew over the trees towards the mansion. She then climbed the steps once more and opened the door. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Pop clicked on the flashlight and entered.

* * *

**A/N: I'm fairly certain that some readers will know what I'm referring to when I say "**_**that**_** incident". But since I have yet to complete it, there may be spoilers to some of the events of that fic. Some existing plot holes are filled in by said fic.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Shadow Ojamajos; they are copyright PrettiWitchiMegChanChi and were used with permission.**


	3. A Dead End? !

**A/N: None yet. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-A dead end? !-

* * *

Pop gazed at the foyer with uncertainty. She had remembered the last time she entered and felt traumatized form the experience. Even though she was prepared, she was still afraid of what was inside.

A strange shimmer hovering over the left stairs caught her attention. Pop turned to look, but the shimmer raced up the stairs and to the balcony above.

"Hey, wait!" Pop called out.

She rushed towards the stairs but was stopped by an abrupt noise. Turning back towards the sound, Pop saw its source: It had been the chandelier. Pop looked up towards the ceiling and noticed that there was a long chain –which she guessed was always part of it- holding it up. To her astonishment, the chain began reeling in, pulling the chandelier up with it. It was then that she noticed a diabolical part of the chandelier: She saw a long, sharp piece of metal.

Pop shuddered at the member; she could've been impaled on it, and then she would've never saved her friends. She looked down at the floor and noticed a small slot where the sharp metal could enter. Pop could've sworn she heard a high-pitched laughter when the chandelier finished returning to its usual spot.

_I knew those Shadow Ojamajos had a sick sense of humor, but this is ridiculous!_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _But__ I better avoid other traps like this one._

Pop shook her head and got back on track. She recalled that she was supposed to be following that shimmer. Unfortunately, by the time Pop recovered from the trap, the shimmer had vanished. Thankfully, she knew that it was near the balcony and proceeded there. She remembered the door and had a good idea of what to expect.

_I will not let you scare me off!_ Pop mentally shouted, _I promised myself that I would save them! If you want to stop me… "_Then you will have to kill me first!"

Suddenly, a light filled the foyer. Pop turned around and could not believe what she saw. The chandelier lights had turned on. Pop felt the light comforting and reassuring, giving her confidence and reinforcing her desire to save her friends.

Pop wasted no time in turning the knob of the door. Once again, it creaked open…

* * *

Pop took a quick glance inside the parlor, sighing in relief when she saw no signs of the familiar that drove them out last time. But to her dismay, the parlor was still dark. Pop got out her flashlight and began searching around.

It was no different than when she last entered; everything was in place as if nothing ever happened. Suspicious, Pop got out the Majo All-in-One Communicator and began looking around. She scanned the cabinets first.

_Dust. Dust. More dust._ Pop thought, _May as well be named 'Dustville' here._

Pop wasn't surprised; the place seemed old enough to warrant having so much dust despite its true age. With another sigh, she turned to the purple candles and scanned them. She was fascinated by the results.

_There's some kind of energy radiating from them. I don't like how this energy acts. Maybe if I put them out…_

Pop swallowed hard and put her flashlight away. She then whipped out the hose of the Vac-Drive and began sucking in the air. The suction quickly blew out the candles, to Pop's lack of surprise. She was interrupted by what sounded like an alarm. She quickly put away the hose and took out the All-in-One.

_Maybe that wasn't such a good idea after all…_

Pop was startled by a bell-shaped arti-ghost appearing behind her. Pop dropped the All-in-One but quickly got out the flashlight. She turned around and stunned the arti-ghost just before it could wind up a punch. At once, she activated the Vac-Drive and began sucking.

Her three minutes of practice paid off slightly. Pop managed to not get dragged by it, but it still escaped from her pull. Pop grit her teeth in frustration.

"This is going to take a while," Pop deadpanned to herself.

Several more of the bell-shaped arti-ghosts appeared. A few minutes later, Pop had successfully sucked them all up. And no sooner than she had that the lights in the room turned on. Pop didn't question how or why, as long as the arti-ghosts were gone.

Seeing nothing more of interest, Pop decided to try the door at the far end. It wouldn't budge. She tried the key she got from earlier. And it still didn't budge.

_Don't tell me I need another key!_ Pop mentally berated.

Pop was about to turn and leave the room when she heard a small clang. Pop turned and looked on the table and saw it. It was a key, almost identical to the one she received earlier. Pop picked it up and immediately used it on the door. A resounding click marked the door unlocking. Pop twisted the knob and the door slowly creaked open…

* * *

The room was devoid of anything of interest aside from a table or two and a light fixture. It seemed to be an overly wide hall.

_Anteroom?_ Pop mentally guessed, _Can't these places be more interest-_

Pop didn't get a chance to finish her thought when more arti-ghost sprung up. There were two bell-shaped ones alongside a pink one shaped like a gown. All three floated over to her with the blatant intention of throwing punches.

_Is that all these arti-ghosts do? !_

Pop quickly stunned them with her flashlight and quickly sucked them up. Unfortunately, the pink one broke free just after the two "bells" fell, causing Pop to lose her balance. Pop didn't have time to get back up when it appeared again. By the time she could get out the flashlight, the arti-ghost had already slugged and sent her flying into the wall.

"Why you…!" Pop shouted as the pink gown vanished with a smirk. Pop felt herself all over. She wasn't bruised too badly, but she was still hurt a bit. She quickly got up and whipped out her flashlight. "When that thing gets back here…!"

Pop didn't have long to wait. The rose-haired Ojamajo spun around and managed to stun the pink gown with a direct beam. She instantly started sucking it in; this time, it fell, and the lights came on.

_What's with __these things and punching__? Don't they have other, more _creative_, ways to attack? _Pop face-palmed. Even though she was now in the comforting light, she was still frustrated. _And I'm willing to bet that _that_ door is locked too! _Pop decided to test her theory out and tried the knob. The door creaked open. "Oh! Well, nevermind!"

* * *

The next room Pop entered had several dressers and hangers with clothes on them. It wasn't as simple as the anteroom, but it was still simple nonetheless. The far end had yet another door.

_Wardrobe room, huh? I guess the Shadow Ojamajos wanted to dress in style then._

Pop got out her flashlight. She knew arti-ghosts could jump out at any second and therefore wanted to make sure she wasn't caught off-guard. And just like that, one of them appeared. It was tall and green and resembled a trash can.

_Speak of the-_ Pop didn't get a chance to finish her thought when her hair spiked and her breathing seized up. _GAAAAHHH! ! !_

Pop wasted no time in returning to the anteroom. She was clutching her nose in disgust.

"Oh god why! ?" Pop shouted, "IT REEKS! IT REEKS! IT REEKS!"

Pop turned and looked back at the door. She knew she needed both hands to use the Vac-Drive and that the stench would overpower her the moment she stopped holding her nose. Unfortunately, she didn't want to waste magic on something this trivial.

_I can't even shrug off the worst-smelling artificial ghost in existence,_ Pop mentally lamented, _I can't save them like this._

Pop turned around and began towards the parlor's door. It was then that she noticed the shimmer. In an instant, it passed through the door.

"Chotto matte!" Pop called, running and opening the door. She was too late. The shimmer had vanished, leaving Pop even more dejected than ever. "I guess I was never meant to save them. Hmm?" Pop noticed a few napkins on the table. They were dusty, but Pop got an idea and wasted no time.

After Pop flapped one around for a bit, she tore it in half, rolled up the two pieces, and carefully placed them in her nose. She then returned to the wardrobe room.

* * *

Absolutely nothing had changed about the wardrobe room. Pop braced herself and waited for the trash can arti-ghost. She waited…and waited…and waited.

_Where the hell is that thing? !_ Pop mentally thundered, "I know you're here! Show yourself!" No answer. _This thing just loves getting on my nerves, doesn't it?_

Pop continued to wait, but nothing appeared. Before long, the lights inexplicably turned on. There was no reason whatsoever for the occurrence. Pop was speechless.

_What? ! _Pop mentally exclaimed. _I prepare and wait for an arti-ghost that has the worst stench EVER and all I get is NOTHING? ! _Pop wandered over to one of the dressers. _Seriously? !_

Pop slammed the dresser in frustration, causing something on top to fall off. Pop picked it up and realized it was yet another key. She then turned to the door at the far end.

_Well, I guess not having to fight anything is worth it._

Pop went over to the door and inserted the key. It would not turn. It wouldn't even go in all the way. Pop, frustrated again, removed the key.

"Why does this key not go anywhere? !" Pop demanded to no one in particular. She tried the knob anyway and found that it turned. The door creaked open. "I find a key and the door is open anyway?" Pop grumbled again as she went through.

* * *

It wasn't a room that Pop entered; it was a small balcony overlooking the dark forest.

_I guess a door wouldn't be locked if all it led to was a small balcony,_ Pop mentally deadpanned.

The rose-haired Ojamajo decided to have another glance around. Below her was what appeared to be a small yard with a doghouse. It seemed blurry for some reason. Farther away and separated by a fence was what Pop assumed was a graveyard.

_Why would this place have a graveyard? A dog I can understand, but that? What are those seven up to?_

Pop heard something appear. In an instant, she turned and saw it: The trashcan arti-ghost. Pop recognized it as the same one that drove her out with its stench. Feeling more than a little angry at it for making her wait, Pop stunned it with the flashlight and began sucking it in.

The arti-ghost was powerful, more so than the orange bells and pink gowns that had assaulted her earlier. It didn't take long for it to start dragging Pop along. Unfortunately, small balconies were small and Pop quickly found herself nearly falling off the edge of the railing. She had to stop sucking it in just to save herself. The trashcan arti-ghost escaped instantly.

"I have to be more careful out here," said Pop. The red Ojamajo saw the light above the balcony turn on. "Eh? But I didn't-! Oh forget it."

With a sigh, Pop returned to the wardrobe room. What she wasn't prepared for was the sudden changes that took place while she was outside; the entire room looked as though it had been made from some bizarre collage, areas of which resembling a rose garden, where everything was both 2D and 3D. Strange runes were present on the walls.

At the center of it all was a creature that looked as though it had sprung right out from the collage. It had several eyes on its head and floated on a pair of butterfly wings. Its lower body trailed off in a cone-shaped insectile abdomen. To Pop, the most striking feature was its thick mustache.

Pop got out the All-in-One and scanned the runes.

ADELBERT

Pop grit her teeth. _So this is why that trashcan wasn't there; it was running from this thing!_ Pop had no time to react. The familiar sounded an alarm that was comprised of a ringing bell. It then wasted no time in rushing up to her for its attack.

Pop dodged it, barely, but the thing was still coming. At once, the rose-haired Ojamajo made a break for the door and got to the anteroom beyond it. It looked normal…until the scenery began changing into the same bizarre collage again as the familiar entered. Pop tried to dodge it again, but the familiar was too fast and head-butted the red Ojamajo.

Pop tried to get back up, but the familiar continued to head-butt her, doing so with gusto. Finally, Pop rolled out of the way and got to her feet. She then side-stepped another head-butt and activated the Vac-Drive.

To her horror, the suction didn't zero in on the familiar. It wasn't even affecting the bizarre monster.

Majo Toron's words echoed through Pop's mind. "_They are immune to the Supernatural Vac-Drive and easily shrug off our magic._ _If you run into one, run. Don't ask questions, don't look back, just run._"

_Just had to forget that, didn't you Pop?_ The red Ojamajo mentally berated to herself. She turned tail and ran towards the door to the parlor. Pop shut it behind her, but, just like last time, it did absolutely nothing to stop the familiar. She was cornered. Further away would lead her back to the foyer. And she was certain the door to the outside was locked and sealing her in again.

More of Majo Toron's words echoed in her mind. "_But have you tested it out on the familiars?_"

"_I haven't had the chance._"

"_Then maybe if-_" Pop dodged several more head-butts while activating a secondary switch on the Vac-Drive. The familiar rushed her again. But this time, Pop expelled a blast of Dark energy from the hose. The familiar, too close and too invested in attacking to dodge, was hit. The blast ended up knocking it away.

_It works!_ Pop thought triumphantly, _But I have to kill this thing before I tell Majo Toron!_

Pop began firing one Dark energy blast after another. Unfortunately, her aim faltered and the familiar managed to get off one successful head-butt after another, knocking Pop to the ground. She rolled out of its way and saw that the meter on the Vac-Drive was running low on Dark energy. Gritting her teeth, Pop took aim and fired one last shot.

The blast hit the familiar directly in the head. It was the last thing Pop saw of it was the monster turning into what appeared to be balls of fluff with eyes on them while its wings fluttered off and vanished. No sooner than the familiar fell did the parlor return to normal, much to Pop's relief. However, the room had suffered from the fight: Cabinets were blasted smoldering, fine china was scattered all over the floor, and torn pages were strewn everywhere.

_Really need to work on my aim,_ Pop deadpanned to herself, _Time to give-_ Pop didn't get a chance to finish her thought when she was struck by pain. _I guess that thing got me more than I thought._ Poop fought back against the pain from her injuries and pulled out the All-in-One. She activated its transceiver and immediately got Majo Toron.

"Have you found anything, Pop-chan?" Majo Toron asked.

"Not yet," Pop replied, "But I did –ow- defeat a familiar!"

"Eh? You did?"

"Un! I used the Dark Medallion's power to do it!"

"So the Medallions can be used against the familiars?" Majo Toron breathed a sigh of relief. "But have you found any more of them?"

"Eh heh heh, no, not really."

"Pop-chan! This isn't a time to relax!" Majo Toron took a deep breath and calmed down. "I forgot to tell you this, but the mansion and the forest surrounding it will vanish at dawn! If you take too long, then…I don't want to know what happens if they're still trapped in there!"

Pop's eyes went wide. She was in a race against time. "G-gomennasai! I'll stop chatting and get back to my goal!"

"Good luck, Pop-chan!"

And with that, the transceiver clicked off. Pop left the parlor and into the foyer and took out the key.

"Maybe it goes to that door below?" Pop guessed. She went down the stairs but found the area to be nothing but solid wall. "Nevermind."

Pop was about to try calling Majo Toron again when she saw the shimmer again. It was hovering to Pop's left above the balcony. Pop wasted no time in ascending the stairs, but the shimmer quickly moved away. It stopped before another door at the beginnings of a hallway. Pop eyed it carefully as it phased through the door.

Cautiously, Pop approached the door and tried turning the knob. The door wouldn't move.

_Why do you keep following me? Why do you keep running when I get close? Why can't you just give it to me straight? Who are you?_

Pop suddenly felt a warmth in her pocket. At once, the red Ojamajo reached into it and found it to be the key itself. She inserted it and turned. A resounding click told her that this was where the key went.

"ACHOO!" Pop was caught off-guard by her sneeze. She then saw the pieces of napkin she once plugged her nose with. _How did I forget about those?_ Pop sighed. _I guess they don't matter anymore anyway._

Pop turned the knob once again. The door creaked open…

* * *

**A/N: None so far. That is all. Be on the lookout for new chapters.**


	4. Source of the Familiars

**A/N: To akibara: I'm afraid you will have to brace yourself for disappointment. Madoka is not the one driving the events, not even accidentally. I cannot say anymore without spoiling the rest of the story.**

**That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-The source of the familiars-

* * *

Pop stared into the open doorway. Behind it was a short hall with several doors. Like the rest of the mansion, it was dark. But for some reason, it seemed devoid of arti-ghosts.

_I better be on my guard,_ Pop thought, _I have a bad feeling about this area._ Pop checked the meter for Dark energy and noticed it was empty. She got out her poron. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Refill the meter!"

Pop's magic resonated with the Dark Medallion. At once, the meter did as Pop commanded and once again became usable.

Pop was about to step through when the All-in-One beeped. Pop answered it. "Moshi moshi?"

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron said urgently, "Some of the rooms nearby couldn't be scanned! Be careful!"

"Ah, etto, hai!" Pop replied, "I'll be careful!"

Majo Toron nodded from the other end and disconnected.

Pop checked the hallway. To her left were two doors. Her right had four of them. She went over to the nearest one first and tested the knob.

She wished she didn't. The moment she touched the knob, she felt a rush in her head, as though memories flooded her mind in a deluge of horrendous proportions. The rose-haired Ojamajo immediately retracted her hand and withdrew from the door.

_Wh-what was that?_ Pop took a closer look at the door; her glance caused her eyes to go wide. On the door were pulsing runes; the same runes that were present when she fought that familiar. But unlike those runes, these seemed to be aligning themselves in sentences.

Pop got out the All-in-One and scanned them. She then activated the internal translator.

Ich bin keine Narren…

Fools I don't like…

_You invented Onee-chan's porons, made this powerful device so that I can save her and her friends, but you make a bad translator,_ Pop mentally deadpanned to herself, _I'll call you out on it later._

The runes on the door changed. Once again, Pop scanned them.

Ich will nicht arbeiten…

I will not work…

_Lazy translator._ Pop sighed in annoyance. _Onee-chan and the others had a com that translated English to Japanese perfectly but I have to get this? ! Oh well, I'll get back to this later._

Pop turned to the next door and went to it. She turned its knob and pulled. Next thing she knew, she was being slammed against the opposite wall and then falling face-first onto the ground while the door shut itself.

_When Shadow Ojamajos put trap doors here, they put it literally._

Pop grunted in frustration as she got back up. It was then that she noticed the lack of a doormat that the other door had. A quick glance at the others told her that there was only one other door trap, much to her relief.

_Sorry, Shadow Ojamajos, but you're not getting me a second time with that!_

Pop walked over to the door at the far end and turned the knob. The door creaked open…

* * *

The room was a fairly tidy bedroom with a king-sized bed and a mirror near the wall. It even had two large windows to give a view outside, though the curtains were drawn.

Pop was about to take another step inside when an arti-ghost appeared. It was tall and green and very much recognizable to Pop.

"You agai-" Pop didn't get the chance to finish her shout when she was driven out by its stench. "Not again!" Pop spent the next two minutes holding her nose and trying to give herself some fresh air. _Next time I see that thing, I'll kill it with magic!_

Pop, drawing her poron, got up and re-entered the bedroom. As if answering her wishes, the trashcan arti-ghost appeared. Pop held her nose. She then took one step forward to improve her odds…only to slip on something and fall on her back. The shock of the fall caused her to release her grip on her nose and the stench once again filled her nose.

Pop glanced at the arti-ghost long enough to see it vanish. No sooner than it did, the lights came on, much to Pop's dismay.

"You really like toying with me, don't you Gomibako-san?" Pop said with annoyance. Then her eyes went wide. "Great! Now I'm nicknaming it!" Pop got back up and dusted herself off. "What's next? Getting attached to that thing? !"

Pop would've ranted longer if she hadn't noticed the key on the floor. She wasted no time in picking it up and leaving the room.

* * *

Pop tested the locks on both of the opposite wall doors. Neither of them opened, leaving Pop afraid of where it went. Pop turned towards the door with the shifting runes on it and approached.

_Well, I guess this room might have one of the keys those rooms,_ Pop mentally guessed. She then face-palmed. _You should really lay off the obvious, Pop._

The red Ojamajo inserted the key into the lock and turned, a resounding click confirming her fears. Pop, remembering the last time she touched the knob, slowly reached for it. She withdrew it at the last second.

_Why do I still have such a bad feeling about this door? Is it one of the rooms that were blacked out?_

Pop didn't have to wait for her next set of fears to be realized. As soon as she gave her thought, she heard what sounded like a high-pitched German babble. Suddenly, her arms were grabbed by small one-winged doll-like creatures. Pop immediately realized they were more familiars and that there were too many to fight off at once. At once, she began struggling in an effort to get them off.

"G-get off of me!" Pop screamed. The familiars ignored her and began dragging her towards the door. "I-I don't want to go with you! I just- No! NOOO!" Pop screamed as she vanished in chunks. She quickly found herself staring at the hall outside, as though she was being dragged _through_ the door…

* * *

Pop felt strange. Darkness was all around her. Random lights spun around, surrounding her. She was floating in a seemingly endless void.

A few moments later, the darkness cleared, divided as though a great eye was opening. It was then that the true form of the void revealed itself: A bizarre, inverted fusion between a merry-go-round and a snow globe.

Pop stared up and saw two familiars descending. The red Ojamajo squinted and noticed that they were flanking and revolving around something. It looked like a computer monitor but with black wings protruding from its sides. Its screen had runes behind a roughly human figure. Pop scanned them.

ELLY

Pop then looked around and saw distorted horses. Monitors adorned them, showing various images. One showed Pop getting killed by her Shadow, Shadow Pop, that one time; another showed her and Shadow Pop getting slammed by a hexagonal barrier. Several others showed her with the other Ojamajos from various points in her life.

Pop recognized these; they were memories and thoughts. _Her_ memories and thoughts

_But why? Why would this thing do this?_ Pop asked herself, _How is this possible?_

Then a horrible sound echoed through her ears. It was the sound of distorted, high-pitched laughter. Pop's eyes went wide at it and even more so when she saw its source: The winged monitor itself. Pop stared directly into the screen, feeling as though it were the eye of a truly incomprehensible abomination.

The monitor spread its wings, signaling the familiars to take hold of Pop's extremities. When they did so, they began pulling, stretching the rose-haired Ojamajo apart.

Pop screamed in agony; she felt her muscles tear and her bones begin to shatter as she somehow stretched like rubber. Fighting the pain, Pop gripped her poron tightly.

"P-P-Pipitto Pur-rito Puri-it-tan P-p-peperu-ruto!" Pop painfuly chanted, "V-Va-ac-D-Dri-ive, blast th-that f-fami-ilair!"

Pop's magic did the trick. At once, a blast of Dark energy emerged from the hose and struck the familiar holding her right arm. She fought through the pain and grabbed the hose and blasted the other familiars off her. No sooner than she had done so did her body feel normal again; her internal wounds mysteriously vanished though she still felt pain in her limbs.

The monitor turned towards Pop, anger clearly emanating from it. It rushed towards the red Ojamajo, but she struck it point-blank with another Dark energy blast. Pop then fired three more, hitting it dead-center and sending it reeling.

_I need more than just this!_ Pop thought desperately, "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Refill the meter!"

Pop's magic once again resonated with the Dark Medallion and her supply of Dark energy was replenished. The red Ojamajo then tapped four notes on her tap and summoned her broom. She mounted it just in time to avoid another charge from the now-recovered monitor.

Pop blasted it a few times, but the monitor weaved and zig-zagged around them, failing twice. She was again down to three shots. The All-in-One scanned the runes that were appearing.

KIRSTEN

4…3…2…1…

_At this rate, I'm going to use up all of my magical spheres!_ Pop flew away from the monitor, trying to put some distance between it and her. _I have magic of my own, so maybe…_

Pop wasted no more time and chose to focus on evading the monitor's assault. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, releasing a steady stream of Dark energy while doing so, "Turn the Dark energy into an edge!"

At once, the energy stream transformed into a sharp blade; Pop wasted no time in putting it to use, running it right through the monster's screen. A multi-colored smoke spewed forth from the wound as it reeled. Pop immediately slashed at it once more, but it retreated and righted itself.

_It's now or never!_

Pop grit her teeth and tightened her grip on the hose. A quick glance at the meter reinforced her drive to end it now. At once, she rushed the winged monitor. It dodged, but the red Ojamajo spun around it successfully sliced off one of its wings. Pop, screaming in defiance, slashed downwards directly on the screen and drove herself and the monitor straight down.

The rose-haired Ojamajo broke off the slash just before she impacted with the surface. The monitor wasn't so lucky; it slammed down hard enough to be cracked in half. The force of the impact sent _something_ flying out of the monitor. It seemed to resemble a doll but it was impossible to tell. It landed with a sickening splat.

Moments later, both piles disintegrated into darkness quite unlike the energy the red Ojamajo had been using. Pop looked at it for a while until she noticed the area started warping. In seconds, it resembled a normal room, complete with the lights on; a study to be exact. Pop landed on the floor and dismounted her broom long enough to investigate her surroundings.

The first thing to catch her eye was the black gem that was on the floor where the monitor had landed. Pop picked it up and saw that it was in some kind of metal cage with numerous patterns on it. It had a crest on top and balanced on a needle. Pop put it away just as the All-in-One began beeping.

"KRRZZZZ…Pop-chan…KRRZZZ" Pop pressed the button. "Pop-chan!" Majo Toron shouted from the other end, "Are you there? !"

"It's ok, Majo Toron," Pop replied, "I'm fine. I just had a bit of a surprise is all!"

"Pop-chan. You do realize the room you're standing in was blacked out a minute ago, right?"

"Actually, I didn't." Pop sweat-dropped. "But I think I know why some rooms are blacked out!"

"Ara?"

Pop explained to Majo Toron about the strange dimension she was pulled into and how bizarre it was. She described in detail the thing that rested within and how it had the same familiars that pulled her there in the first place.

"Interesting," Majo Toron said, "So these entities warp their surroundings to the point where it becomes an entirely new dimension?"

"I'd say so," Pop replied, "But there were other blacked-out rooms on the map. Doesn't that mean-?"

"I'm afraid so. And now I'm more worried than ever about your friends."

Pop understood perfectly. The thing that tried to kill her; there were more just like it. And they may have succeeded in killing her friends by now.

"I do have some news though," Majo Toron said, interrupting Pop's thought, "Your friends vanished in rooms that were normal; none of them have blacked out yet, not even by now! So there's still hope!"

"Arigatou, Majo Toron," Pop replied, "And when I do, I'm going to make sure the Shadow Ojamajos pay for letting those things in Majo Kai!" Pop slammed her hand down on the desk to punctuate her point. Her action caused one of the drawers to open. Pop entered "deadpan serious" mode and went over to looked inside. "Oh look, another key. Now I wonder where this goes."

"Good luck, Pop-chan!" Majo Toron said. The All-in-One's transceiver clicked off.

Pop left the room and tested the key. After failing at the nearest door, Pop inserted the key into the second. The resounding click told Pop everything she needed to know, and she opened the door.

* * *

The room appeared to be a nursery. At least, it would've looked like that to Pop had it not been for the presence of a familiar. It has doll-like and rode a vehicle that couldn't decide on what it was.

"You again!" Pop shouted. The red Ojamajo readied her hose and the Dark energy.

To her surprise, the familiar turned into darkness. At the same time, the nursery turned back to normal. In the center of it all was a tiny metal cage not unlike the one that housed the black gem Pop had on her. At once, the cage sprayed crackling darkness everywhere and the nursery again distorted. Pop held her ground…

* * *

The nursery was no longer a nursery. Somehow, it had been completely transformed into a child's playroom that had been drawn with crayons. Runes were few and far between, but Pop managed to scan a couple of sets.

ANJA Wachsmalstift

ALBERTINE

HIDE AND SEEK  
HIDE AND SEEK  
HIDE AND SEEK  
HIDE AND SEEK  
HIDE AND SEEK

_Eh?_

In the center of the room was a group of familiars. Behind them was a larger doll; it rode nothing and seemed to be the leader of the familiars.

_More like their _mother_! _Pop thought with horror, _Alright, stay calm, Pop! I just have to beat this thing! It'll be easy!...as easy as the _other_ one…_

Pop dove behind one of the blocks and quickly used a spell to refill her gauge. She then dove behind one of the giant crayons and used a spell to get her Dark energy sword back.

Once she did all of that, Pop came out from hiding and began slicing through one familiar after another, taking care to dodge their attacks. It took a while, but Pop managed to slice her way over to the doll. With a loud scream, she slashed at it with as much force as she could, cutting a large gash into its chest. It leaned back and cried.

"Crying or no, I'll still defeat you!" Pop yelled. Using both hands, Pop swung her blade…but stopped short of a successful strike. _Wh-what is this? Why can't I finish it off?_

Pop didn't get a chance to answer her question; she was struck from behind by another familiar's attack, knocking her to the ground and allowing the doll to escape. Pop fought through her injury and struggled to her feet, cursing the familiar for getting a cheap shot. The red Ojamajo swung with her blade, slaying the familiar with one sweep. She then looked around but saw no sign of the doll.

_Alright doll-san,_ Pop thought angrily, _Where are you? !_ It was then that she remembered the translation. "HIDE AND SEEK". _Fine. If I have to play your game to defeat you, then so be it!_

Pop began searching the area, taking care to avoid the familiar's attacks and slay them wherever possible. After a while of frustration, Pop finally snapped and struck one of the blocks, reducing it to rubble. That's when it dawned on her.

Immediately, she began destroying the blocks. And sure enough, the doll had been hiding in them. Pop gripped the blade with both hands and leapt into the air.

"I found you!" Pop yelled as she came down on top of it. Her blade struck true, slicing the doll clean in half just as it was beginning to draw something on the ground. Within moments, it had dissolved into darkness. "I…I won! I really won!" Pop looked around and saw that the dimension was reverting to normal. Pop breathed a sigh of relief…and fell to the floor, breathing heavily. "I…I guess I…I was hurt more than I thought…"

Pop tried to get up. Her arms obeyed her, but she could not lift herself off the floor. Pop continued struggling to get up, but the more she did, the more pain she found herself in.

"Just…what am I…doing…?" Pop weakly said to herself. In moments, she fell unconscious.

* * *

Pop woke up feeling good as new. The lights were on, so that's a good sign.

"Ogghh, how long was I out?" Pop groaned. The red Ojamajo got up. Her eyes went wide. "Eh? !" Pop checked herself all over, discovering no sign of the wounds she suffered from the battle. "How did-How is this-OW~!"

Pop would've continued had something hard not landed on her head. Pop picked it up and discovered it to be a key; unlike the others, this one was pink with a heart-shaped handle.

"But, who did-?" Pop began. Something shimmering in the corner of her eye caught her attention. By the time she spun to face it, it had already passed through the wall. "Chotto matte!" Too late. It was gone. "Who is-?"

Pop quickly picked up the black gem leftover from the battle and whipped out the All-in-One. She activated the transceiver. As usual, Majo Toron answered.

"Pop-chan?" Majo Toron began.

"I just found out a lot, Majo Toron!" Pop replied, "I'll explain when I get back!"

Pop shut off the transceiver and made her way back. She had new knowledge but she wanted answers. What were those things and how were they spawning familiars? How did she get healed? Who healed her? And is that someone going to be alright?

* * *

**A/N: I am aware that isn't how the runes are actually translated. Just to prove it, I'll provide it courtesy of the wiki. In order:**

**I do not like fools.  
I don't want to work.**

**I deliberately mistranslated them so as to invoke an In-Universe example of Blind Idiot Translation (justified by a bad translator).**

**I will try not to waste the plots, but that's going to be hard at this point, no matter how much time I take. I am open to certain ideas, if you have suggestions.**


	5. Troubling Discussion

**A/N: This chapter will address some things that came up during the previous one. It will also provide exposition. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Troubling Discussion-

* * *

Majo Toron was waiting anxiously. Pop had said she was going to come back for a while to explain everything new she found out. But what was taking her?

The inventive Witch had been looking over the holo-grid and the map of the mansion that had been formed over it. She had recorded Pop's travels over that area of the mansion, alternating between scans to see if familiars could truly show up.

No luck.

Fortunately, she was able to track the fiends that were in the mansion.

A sound like a slight breeze alerted Majo Toron to a visitor.

"I was wondering when you would come here again..." Majo Toron greeted dryly, "Shadow Ruka."

* * *

Pop wasted no time in getting to the foyer and trying the door. It was locked.

"Come on! I need to get back to the Center!" Pop griped. She yanked at the door one more time. It wouldn't budge. "I don't have time for this!" Pop whipped out her poron. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Door, unlock!"

Pop saw her magic reach inside the lock and begin working it. After it receded, Pop again tried the door. It was locked.

_Ok! That tears it! And by 'it', I mean those damned locks!_

Pop switched the Vac-Drive to its Dark energy mode and took aim.

* * *

"So that's why you're here," Majo Toron said to Shadow Ruka, "You want to lend a hand?"

"That's what I've been trying to say, Majo Toron," Shadow Ruka replied.

Pop entered the Magic Research Center just before the conversation could continue any further.

"Majo Toron! I have a lot of-" Pop began, but caught sight of Shadow Ruka, "Etto ne, why are you-?"

"I'll just have to explain all over again, won't I?" Shadow Ruka deadpanned.

Everyone sighed as Shadow Ruka explained everything to Pop. She mentioned helping Majo Toron with developing anti-Shadow add-ons that can be used. She explained that they were for use against the Shadow Ojamajos since it's all but confirmed that they're the ones responsible for this crisis. She finished by expressing curiosity and concern at the presence of familiars in the mansion.

"I don't know why those things are there," Majo Toron replied, "But Pop's found a means to fight them with, so we don't have to worry about them as much."

"I beg to differ, Majo Toron," Shadow Ruka said, fear noticeable in her voice.

"But the Medallions are good against them!" Pop said in defense, "Are you sure they're still all that?"

Shadow Ruka shook her head. "If familiars are left alone long enough, then they could grow into something much more deadly. Something that could easily spawn more of the things."

"Eh?"

"Hmm," Majo Toron pondered, "Something tells me you know why some areas are blacked out on the holo-grid. Can you explain?"

"I have a theory," Shadow Ruka replied, "Pop-chan? Have you found yourself in some place that's like a different dimension?"

"H-hai?" Pop said, "But why?"

"Majo Toron? Can you point our which rooms were blacked out?"

Majo Torn nodded and zoomed in on that part of the holo-grid map. She pointed to a room that could be scanned normally.

"That's the second room I was in when I was in that hall!" Pop gasped, "Majo Toron? You did say one of the rooms couldn't be scanned there, right?"

"Yes, I did. And it was that one." Majo Toton pointed to the formerly blacked-out room. "For some reason a while after you entered, I lost contact. And I regained contact almost as suddenly as I lost it…right when the scan was able to read it again."

"I fought something powerful in there," Pop said, "But I beat it, so no worries!"

"Once again, I beg to differ," Shadow Ruka replied. Her voice was more fearful now than ever. "I believe what you went up against was a Witch. Not your kind, mind you, but the kind that Puella Magi fight against."

Pop and Majo Toron were speechless. The mention of Witches being what tried to kill Pop didn't make sense to them.

"H-how could that _thing_ have been a Witch? !" Pop shouted, "There's no way!"

"I specifically said it wasn't your kind of Witch, you two," Shadow Ruka replied, "Your kind of Witch is basically long-lived humans with magic at their disposal. The Witches that the Puella Magi hunt and kill are eldritch abominations." Shadow Ruka sees that Pop and Majo Toron are shooting her incredulous looks. "You're not getting it, are you?"

"What gave you that idea?" Pop said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Shadow Ruka sighed and went in depth in her explanation. It takes a while, but Pop and Majo Toron eventually understand the difference.

"But how do you know so much about these kinds of Witches?" Pop inquired, suspicion evident in her voice.

"Kada is one of the few male Puella Magi out there. He knows these things and even helped make a database," Shadow Ruka continued, "Skaj too, of course."

"I guess that explains your knowledge then," Majo Toron surmised.

"But now I have a few questions myself."

"Eh?" Pop peeped.

"How are you two able to see those Witches and their familiars? Normally, they're invisible to everyone but Puella Magi and the Incubators!"

_Eh? !_ Pop thought, _Wh-what does she mean 'they're invisible to everyone but Puella Magi and Incubators'? ! And what's an Incubator anyway? !_

"If you have no answer, then I'll just tell you my reasoning." Shadow Ruka cleared her throat. "Either you two were affected by a Puella Magi –odds are it was Kada or Skaj- or you were targeted by an Incubator or a Witch. Either or the other."

_I see she's gained some of Skaj's mannerisms…_ Pop mentally deadpanned, "But then, you're saying that…"

Majo Toron tapped Pop's shoulder and shook her head. "All that matters is the fact we can see them."

Pop looked towards Shadow Ruka and then back at Majo Toron. She then nodded her head in agreement.

"I forgot to mention," Shadow Ruka blurted out, "I always forget these things- The strange world you got sucked into when you fought the Witches, Pop-chan? They're called barriers. Unless you're close to them when they form, you'll have to navigate your way through a labyrinth."

Pop gulped. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Hold on," Majo Toron interjected, "These barriers? Do you believe they're the reason the scan doesn't work on some of these rooms?"

Shadow Ruka shrugged. "Likely."

Majo Toron wheels herself over to the terminal and pulls up the scan. At once, the holo-grid map of the mansion appeared, allowing the trio to see it. The inventive Witch typed in a few combinations and pushed a few buttons. Moments later, the map split into several floors, including the basement.

"Now we can tell how many Witches there are!" Majo Toron wheeled herself back to the others.

The trio counted the rooms and scanned through the floors. They found seven rooms blacked-out, causing Shadow Ruka a level of distress.

"Th-this many? !" Shadow Ruka burst out.

"You're the expert on these things," Majo Toron replied, "This isn't good, is it?"

"This many Witches in one confined area. Po-chan! You have to hurry and defeat them!"

"How is seven too many?" Pop asked, "It's not like-"

Shadow Ruka shook her head. "Majo Toron? How many rooms were blacked out last night?"

"Only one," Majo Toron replied. Her eyes went wide underneath her goggles. "Oh dear god!"

Pop girt her teeth. She barely survived two of them and she was sure the first of them was more than a little traumatizing for her. And then she discovers that their numbers are spiking, even as she gives her thoughts?

The number of Witches should have blown the mansion to bits by now," Shadow Ruka said grimly, "But what baffles me is how quickly they've managed to get to such a high number!"

Pop looked at the holo-grid. "What do the Witches feed of off?" Pop asked with concern.

"Human suffering and despair."

Pop clenched her fist. "Onee-chan and the others are trapped there. If they are suffering in there, then I guess that explains why there are so many Witches now."

"I wouldn't be too sure, Pop-chan," Shadow Ruka replied grimly, "Six humans with a magic that's different from theirs would never be able to give them enough to multiply like this." Shadow Ruka turned back to the holo-grid. "They must have another source. Have you studied the fiends closely, Majo Toron?"

"I have, but I don't recall the details," Majo Toron replied. She went over to the terminal again. "I'll pull up the results." Pop looks on as Majo Toron types in more combinations and pushes more buttons. In moments, Majo Toron turns back to the red Ojamajo and Shadow. "It seems that the fiends are made of suffering and despair and given form via dark magic."

"Can you-?"

"Hai!"

Majo Toron punches in more combinations. Moments later, several small dots along with five large dots appear on the holo-grid.

"Each of those dots are fiends," Majo Toron explained.

"Demo ne, aren't those big ones where my friends vanished at?" Pop asked.

The trio skimmed over the map and compared it to the previous recording. There was no mistaking it; the large dots _were_ in the same rooms where Aiko, Onpu, Momoko, and Hana's dots vanished; the sole exception was wandering the mansion, particularly the area where Pop first explored. Doremi's dot was still visible normally, though it was clear she hadn't moved from the basement.

"Those rooms can still be scanned," Majo Toron said with relief, "Which means we can rule out the Witches kill-"

"Minna! Look!" Pop called.

The trio looked at the map and could not believe what they saw. Five of the dots were rushing towards the far end on the first floor and quickly entered a room. The two rooms adjacent to it were blacked out; they trio guessed that the fiends/arti-ghosts couldn't enter the Witch's barriers. They then watched in fascination and shock as the group of dots vanished one by one. Moments later, the room was blacked out.

"It was a familiar, wans't it?" Pop asked. Majo Toron nodded, confirming Pop's question.

"That's proof right there," Shadow Ruka said sadly, "The familiars eat fiends." The Shadow of Majo Ruka sighed in despair. "Those Shadow Ojamajos have really done it this time: They've made the perfect manufactory for Witches. And if they're not dealt with, then those things will overrun Majo Kai!"

"Then I don't have any time to waste then. If I get rid of the Witches, then I'll be one step closer to saving my friends and my sister!"

Majo Toron snapped her fingers. In a puff of smoke and a loud crack, a small device had appeared.

"I made this on the off chance the Shadows were responsible. It'll help shield you against your magic and allow you to suck them up as though they were fiends." Majo Toron shook her head. "But you'll have to have it active first and it can't protect you while inactive."

"I understand," Pop replied, "I guess the sooner I get back to the mansion, the sooner I can save my friends." Pop scratched her head. "But I have to ask: what are these weird black gems?" Pop took out the black gems that the Witches left behind. "And why did the Witches have them?"

"Those are Grief Seeds," Shadow Ruka replied, "They birth Witches and hold their essence after they're killed. They can eventually revive the Witch, though it can take a while like this..."

"Good. If they can't do it quickly, then they'll be safe here." Pop hands the Grief Seeds to Majo Toron. "Well, I'm off then." Pop turned to leave. She quickly turned around again. "Arigatou, you two."

Majo Toron and Shadow Ruka nodded in response.

* * *

Pop opened the door to the mansion and entered. The foyer hadn't changed since she last left with the exception of the window she had to shatter.

_Why didn't I put a doorstopper there? It would've made leaving and entering _so_ much easier!_

Pop approached the door below the balcony. Not even one second later, the chandelier above slammed onto the ground. The rose-haired Ojamajo just barely got out of the way but suffered a small scratch.

_It's official: I hate self-resetting traps!_

The chandelier returned to its lofty position. Pop glared daggers at it and then turned back to the door. It still had the web-like barrier and thorns covering it. She could discern a shape beneath them, but couldn't figure out what it was. Remembering the pink heart-shaped key she received after defeating that last Witch, Pop got an idea and took it out.

Nothing happened.

_But this key should have-_

Pop's though was interrupted by a small metal object falling on her head.

"Ow~! Again? !" Pop yelled. She glanced upwards and once again caught a glimpse of the strange shimmer that had been clearly hounding her steps at what had hit her in the head and found it to be yet another key, only this one was gold and had a shape reminiscent of a spade. Pop picked it up.

No sooner than she did, the web-like barrier started pulsing violently, going faster and faster until it finally glowed and vanished, taking the thorns with it. It was then that Pop saw the shape on the door: A spade.

_I guess I was given the wrong key. Oh well, this mansion like having different keys for different doors, so I'll keep this one._

Pop went to the large gold-tinged door and inserted the spade key. It fit and turned easily. One resounding click later and Pop opened the door to the hallway beyond…

* * *

**A/N: This chapter isn't meant to be interesting given the abundance of exposition here. I would've given more information, but there really wasn't enough space. All in all, this chapter doesn't concern me as much, so I can skip out on proofreading this time around.**

**I have made sure to do as much research on the Witches as possible, though some will not be appearing.**


	6. Emergence of a Threat

**A/N: I will address a few issues with the last chapter. Descriptions will be present so as to give a level of understanding about the enemies encountered. No other chapter will have as many as this one. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Emergence of a Threat-

* * *

The hall was almost pitch-black, just like the rest of the mansion where Pop hadn't entered. The only things piercing it were the glows of small ghosts resembling mice and bats that flitted through the darkness.

Pop gave quick glances in both directions. Her thoughts drifted back to her friends, whom Pop was certain were suffering somewhere. She already knew where Doremi was being held but had no idea where the others were. The Holo-grid had shown that the rooms where the others vanished weren't holding any Witches. And another glance confirmed that there were no familiars-

"Pop-chan! There you are!" came the concerned voice of Shadow Ruka.

"YAAHHHH!" Pop jumped. She quickly spun around and saw that it was indeed Shadow Ruka. "Don't scare me like that!"

"Gomen ne, Pop-chan," Shadow Ruka sweat-dropped, "But…"

Shadow Ruka wasted no time in explaining why she was there. Once all was said and done, She and Pop left the mansion via Shadow Ruka's magic.

* * *

Pop gave a disgruntled groan as she once again entered the mansion.

_Well, that's fifteen minutes gone,_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _At least I got a re-fill on magic spheres, that anti-Shadow device installed, the ability to use the sword-form, and a means of having information on the Witches, familiars, and arti-ghosts!_ Pop smiled. It quickly returned to a deadpan serious look. _But seriously, Majo Toron! ? You can invent powerful porons for Onee-chan and the others, reverse-engineer Majo Isabelle's technology, but you can't even make a Japanese to German translator? !_

Pop groaned in frustration after her mental rant. Not only did she have to leave and come back, but she had to once again deal with the chandelier coming down and try to impale her. Why couldn't Shadow Ruka have put her back in the hallway? Why didn't Majo Toron bring up the installation? What else are those two hiding?

The rose-haired Ojamajo stopped before the door and decided to give the database a test run. She started with the arti-ghosts.

_Orange Bells: A relatively weak fiend. Their only real attack is a punch that they have to wind up for a while. They are the most common and will attack in groups if given the chance._

_How mechanical,_ Pop mentally deadpanned. She then tapped another entry.

_Pink gowns: A more powerful fiend. Their only attack is a punch. Unlike the Orange Bells, they do not have to wind up their fists before attacking. They are also more resilient._

_No, really?_ Pop sighed and clicked the next entry.

_Trashcan: A passive fiend. Not much is known other than that it is likely the only one in the mansion and that it gives off an offensibly repulsive stench. It is also the most resilient, far out-classing the Pink Gown._

_It also seems to like hounding me,_ Pop thought, shuddering when it occurred to her. _Which reminds me: I have to kill that thing!_ Pop reclaimed what little calm she could possibly have and decided to analyze other entries. _Time to give these a shot._

Pop pressed the button and went to the entries for the Witches and their familiars. To her shock, the entries took the form of red cards with the same strange runes where their names would otherwise be. Thankfully, the translator gave their names clearly.

_ADELBERT: The rose-garden Witch's minion. His duty is to act as a lookout. Upon seeing a human, he will sound a warning bell and headbutt him mercilessly. They have 2.5 (20/8) vision. The smaller type can change into vines to hinder intruders._

Pop checked the other entries but couldn't find one saying anything about a "Rose-Garden Witch". The red Ojamajo decided that since she hasn't fought it yet, it will not appear. At least she will have an idea of what to expect when she enters its barrier.

Pop clicked another entry.

_H.N. ELLY [KIRSTEN]: The box Witch with a covetous nature. She is a staunchly reclusive Witch. Anything she covets she locks away in glass. The thoughts of her prisoners are laid bare, but one can strike her without thought without problems._

_So this Witch has the power to read minds and make them public?_ Pop felt a flashback to when she fought the Witch. She remembered how some of her past experiences were on those monitors and how nightmarish the ordeal was. She was certain she would die, had it not been for the sword she formed with her magic and the Dark medallion's power.

_Daniyyel & Jennifer: The box Witch's minions with the duty of transportation. Anything they touch becomes easy to carry._

_Yikes,_ Pop thought dryly,_ I guess that explains how they dragged me in so easily._

_ALBERTINE: The scribbling Witch, with an ignorant nature. She loves to play hide and seek. However, since none of her minions are very intelligent, none of them seek her out._

_Especially when someone's in her barrier and blowing them up…_

_ANJA: The scribbling Witch's minion, whose duty is to be naïve. She is a lost familiar who was separated from the Witch playing alone, absorbed in her daydreams. She possesses the ability to transform humans into balls; a human who has been transformed into a ball cannot revert to human form until he bounces against the ground once for each lie that he has ever uttered._

Pop's heart skipped a beat at the familiar's description. Suddenly, the rose-haired Ojamajo knew another reason why Majo Toron got them out of there when it showed up. In the end, she decided not to dwell on it and simply re-entered the hallways…

* * *

The red Ojamajo stared down to her left and, thanks to her flashlight, saw that the only thing there was a door. Pop went over to it and, guessing that it was locked, tried it. Her suspicions were confirmed.

With a sigh, Pop traveled back the way she came and quickly came to a fork. Just before she could figure out where to go, she felt a presence behind her. Pop jumped and spun around, flashlight at the ready.

It was shaped like a large drop and was hanging upside-down. Pop's flashlight had stunned the arti-ghost, giving her the chance to suck it in. It gasped but offered no resistance whatsoever.

_That's it?_ Pop mentally asked, _It suddenly appears where it can get an easy cheap shot and it does absolutely nothing?_ Perplexed, the rose-haired Ojamajo tapped the All-in-One and went over to the descriptions.

_White Taunter: A fiend that specializes in catching its prey off guard but doing nothing to hurt them. It is extremely weak, succumbing to the Vac-Drive almost instantly._

_Why did they even make that thing anyway?_

Pop sighed and continued trekking through the corridor. The first door she came across was locked tight. The same was true for the next two. With another sigh, the red Ojamajo took the other direction and headed down the hall. On her right was a normal locked door. Her left had a door too, but it had runes on it. Pop scanned them.

Mami mogu mogu gonbo.

_I don't like the sound of that,_ thought Pop, _Whatever Witch this is, it strikes me as the type who eats a lot._

Pop ignored the door for the time being and continued on, rapidly coming across another fork. This time, she chose her left and trekked further along. She eventually came to an end that was surrounded by four doors. The rose-haired Ojamajo recognized this area as the one where the arti-ghosts were chased to. She quickly turned to the door on her immediate right. It too had runes on it, confirming her fears. She quickly scanned them.

Tempestoso Affettuoso

_This doesn't make any sense! What kind of Witch uses these words anyway? !_

Pop turned to the door in front of her next. It had a web-like barrier and thorns covering it. And just like the last door, it too had runes on it. Pop wasted no time in scanning them.

Kein Durchgang. Zutritt verboten.  
No trespassing. Forbidden entry.

Die blühenden Rosen sollen der  
Königin sofort geschenkt sein.  
The blooming roses shall be  
presented to the queen immediately.

_I guess this one values her barrier. But what's the deal with the roses?_

Pop turned to the two doors on her left. They were clear of runes, prompting Pop to try the out. The one closest to the web-shield was the only one that was unlocked. With a great deal of hesitance, Pop opened it and went inside…

* * *

The room wasn't actually a room; rather, it was a washroom, complete with a sink and a bathtub. To Pop, it wasn't interesting. She decided she was going to leave only to find that the door had locked itself. Immediately, Pop braced herself.

_You really walked into this one, didn't you Pop?_ The rose-haired Ojamajo mentally berated herself.

Pop wasted no time in searching for a key. To her frustration, there was none, prompting her to berate herself even more. Suddenly, Pop was grabbed from behind; whatever it was, it quickly tightened its grip, crushing her. Pop struggled to escape its grasp until it hit her: Why not shine the flashlight into it?

Pop wasted no time in trying it out. The beam hit, stunning the arti-ghost and allowing the red Ojamajo to break free. Pop spun and saw that it was clutching its head and whimpering. She took the opportunity to shine her flashlight on it again and immediately began sucking it up.

With a loud screech, it took off, pulling and tugging at the suction that was homing in and trying to drag it in. Pop replied with a tug and a yank; that seemed to do the trick much more easily than simply waiting for its resistance to go down. The serpentine arti-ghost quickly vanished into the Vac-Drive. Moments later, the lights came on.

_Sheez! _Pop mentally fumed, _First they punch me and then they try strangling me?_

Pop clicked on the All-in-One and peered at the grabber's entry.

_Simple Grip: This snake-like fiend specializes in grabbing its prey and crushing it using its powerful arms. They seem to shut down when their prey struggles free. They prefer traveling in groups, though singles are not uncommon._

Pop shut off the entry and decided to check the washroom for anything useful. The counter with the mirror had nothing and the cabinet above the bathtub held nothing.

It was then that Pop noticed her reflection: Her normally wing-like pink hair had drooped a bit and taken a haggard appearance while her uniform had small tears in it.

_This place is really getting to me,_ thought Pop, _I have to get everyone out before I go insane. _A metallic clang behind her drew the rose-haired Ojamajo's attention. Pop took three guess and thought" another key"; she turned around and picked it up. _What do you know? Another key!_

Pop exited the washroom and saw the shimmer again. She quickly ran after it, seeing it vanish into the room opposite to the door with the runes. The red Ojamajo took another guess and figured that this was where the key went. She was about to try it out when she felt another presence behind her. She spun around and immediately leapt away.

The ensuing explosion wasn't large enough to send her flying, but it did rattle her. Pop saw her assailant: It looked just like the Taunter from earlier, only it was purple and had dropped a bomb. She shined her flashlight and sucked it in. It gasped and went down just as easily as its harmless counterpart. She then checked the All-in-One for its entry.

_Purple Bomber: A more dangerous fiend than the White Taunter. It attacks by dropping bombs on top of its prey, taunting them afterward if they survived. They are just as weak as their counterparts._

_They're just rehashing a harmless arti-ghost into something actually threatening. Can't these Shadows be more original than this? !_

Pop groaned at her thought. She went back to business and inserted the key. It fit easily enough; one resounding click later, the door opened…

* * *

The red Ojamajo could only stare in disbelief. The room was quite easily the largest one she had come across, but that wasn't its true feature; it was the massive swimming pool dominating the floor. At least, it _looked_ like a swimming pool as evidenced by the raised tiles that were arranged in a rectangular shape, the presence of handrails where the steps in the shallow end would be, and a diving board.

Pop took a closer look and realized that it wasn't water but a large ceramic covering. Nevertheless, Pop decided against walking on it, for fear of falling into the drink below. She saw another door at the far end, so she went over and tried it.

It was locked.

_Figures,_ Pop thought,_ This mansion is running out of surprises._

With a sigh, Pop returned to the other door. It too was locked, prompting the rose-haired Ojamajo to go on alert. Her vision panned around the room, watching and waiting for the arti-ghosts to show up.

As if giving up on toying with her, one of them appeared. It was large, not quite as large as the trashcan but still large regardless. It was blue and, like all arti-ghosts, flew over to her with a huge fang-filled grin.

Pop dashed away from it, taking turns between running and reading the new entry.

_Blue Shaker: These powerful fiends' can strike with their similarly strong fist but their preferred method of attack is slamming them into the ground and sending shockwaves outward. They take a while to wind up this attack. They are quite resilient, but not to the degree as the trashcan._

_Okay. So I just shine a light on it while it's trying to strike then?_ thought Pop. She then turned back towards the approaching monstrosity. _Worth a shot!_

Pop waited for the arti-ghost to get in close. Just as the description said, it began to wind up for its main attack. It did so by raising its clenched fists into the air. Pop seized the opportunity to shine her flashlight at it, stunning it long enough to begin sucking it a panicked whimper, the Blue Shaker began fleeing the Vac-Drives suction, dragging Pop with it. It even dragged her over the ceramic plate protecting the pool; to her relief, it supported her weight.

Pop tugged back at it, weakening it further and further. And then, just like that, it fell, vanishing into the Vac-Drive.

"Glad that's over," Pop said to herself. Her comfort was interrupted by two more Shakers appearing. "Oh, come on!"

The two new arti-ghosts had appeared on opposite sides of her. They were trying to flank the red Ojamajo. She fled their presence only for them to chase her closer to one-another. Pop leapt out of the way just as one of them slammed down its fists. The noise echoed throughout the room. Even though Pop had leapt out of the way, she was still hit by the shockwaves. She forced herself to recover and get back up just as the two of them tried to slam her with their combined power.

Pop was once again caught by the shockwaves and knocked down. She stumbled back to her feet just in time to try and evade another strike. This time, the red Ojamajo was on top of the ceramic plate. The force of the impact shattered it, sending her down into the water below while the fragments sank to the bottom like the rocks they were.

The water was cold, leaving Pop frantically trying to get back to the surface and get some air. No sooner than she did she was slammed back down by the Shakers. It was getting harder to think; Pop was barely keeping the water out of her mouth at this point and she knew it wasn't going to stay that way. In a moment of insanity, Pop shined her flashlight straight up at the arti-ghosts. They weren't close enough to stun but they were still forced to vanish.

Pop got a hold of the sharp edges of what was left of the ceramic plate, gasping for breath and trying to cough up the water that had managed to get inside. Thankfully, it wasn't enough to be outright dangerous, but it could have still easily caused severe damage.

The rose-haired Ojamajo didn't have long to recover before the Shakers returned. Immediately, Pop got out her poron.

"Pippito…Purito…" Pop chanted, retreating and trying to put some distance between herself and the Shakers. "Puritan…Peperuto!" Pop was now cornered and had act. Now! "Destroy the arti-ghosts!"

Pop's spell rocketed towards the Shakers, enveloping them in the bright red glow of her magic. At once, they stopped moving and went into full panic mode when they realized what the spell was doing to them. In moments, they were no more.

Pop collapsed in the corner she had been driven in and began trying to catch her breath.

_I…I…_ Pop shook her head. _I'm not dead. But I…! I was so close to dying…_ Pop sneezed. _At least it's just a cold that I got from this…_

Pop was about to take a rest when another arti-ghost appeared. It looked just like the Blue Shakers from before aside from the white color, larger size, and the strange watery core inside it.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Pop shouted. She forced herself back onto her feet and began trying to put more distance between her and it. But this one was faster than the others and easily kept up with the increasingly frantic red Ojamajo. _At this rate, I'll-!_

Pop didn't get a chance to finish her thought; she was blown to the ground by a ball of water that the arti-ghost apparently threw. Pop rolled over and shined her flashlight into it. To her horror, the light refracted in its watery core and had no effect on the monstrosity. The red Ojamajo rolled out of the way of its attack, which was clearly its version of the Shaker's preferred method. And despite rolling out of its way, Pop found herself being blown clear across the room, both from the larger and stronger shockwaves and the massive torrents of water that appeared with it.

Pop whipped out her poron. "Pipitto Purito-AH!" Pop began chanting, but the arti-ghost caught sight of her and struck from range with a tendril of water, knocking her poron into the pool and cutting her arm open. "N-no way…!"

Pop could only look at the arti-ghost in sheer terror as it approached. It clearly knew Pop was helpless against it and so took its time. When the monstrosity reached her, it gave a grin. Not the grin that the Shakers had but a fang-filled, sadistic smile filled to the brim with murderous intent. It raised its fists and put them together, intending to finish the rose-haired Ojamajo with its signature attack. Pop shut her eyes.

And then she heard it gasp in terror. Pop opened her eyes and saw that the monstrosity was now frantically looking around. It moments, the entire room changed, turning into a night-filled sky. Pop noticed the familiar causing it; it resembled a cat, but its head looked like a multi-pointed star. The arti-ghost trembled and started launching balls and jets of water at the familiar. It effortlessly dodged the barrage and cornered it. At once, Pop saw what it was doing: The familiar was draining the arti-ghost, causing it to shrivel up. With one last painful moan, the once-powerful monstrosity faded into nothing, its watery core falling to the floor and dispersing.

Pop was horrified. This was how the familiars fed off the arti-ghosts…by feeding off the despair and suffering that made up the majority of their forms and directly absorbing them, leaving only the dark magic left to disperse as if it had never been. Could this have happened to her friends? Could this _be_ happening to the other Ojamajos even she frantically thought about this?

Pop shook her head and snapped out of her fear-induced stupor long enough to see that the familiar had vanished. In its place was a not-so-familiar tiny, spherical, metal cage with a crest and needle. At once, the red Ojamajo knew what was next. At the last minute, she noticed a blue coin rolling towards her from where the arti-ghost fell. She took a wild guess and picked it up. A beeping sound alerted her to something about the Vac-Drive; she turned her head and noticed that it now had a second meter…for water.

The red Ojamajo decided against thinking about what she had just found. She had a Witch to defeat…

* * *

The room had taken a more drastic turn. It no longer looked like an indoor swimming pool; rather, it looked like an endless night sky, but with the moon and all the stars missing.

Pop couldn't see a thing. She assumed she was close to the Witch and that it knew she was there. But now she needed to know its weakness. That is, if it even had one.

Shaking her head, Pop crouched and pulled out the All-in-One to look up the Witch's entry. She found it with little trouble.

_SULEIKA: The dark Witch, with a delusional nature. Her power grows as the darkness deepens. In total darkness she can scarcely be matched. She's almost unrivaled in absolute black; however, with lights as numerous as they are nowadays, she is not a Witch to be feared._

_ULLA: That dark Witch's minion whose duty is to dream. She can shapeshift into anything to express her Witch's desires in pitch-black darkness. She boasts incredible power in the dark, but something as small as a lamppost or moonbeam can halve her strength._

_Perfect!_ thought Pop, _I have a flashlight! And if that's all it takes to weaken her, then I shouldn't have too much trouble!_ Pop bit her lip. _Then again, the last time I got these thoughts…_

Pop shook her head at the thought. She couldn't lose hope now. The only way out of the Witch's barrier was to kill her off. To that end, Pop got up and began shining her flashlight in as many directions as possible. She caught sight of more familiars, but no Witch. Suddenly, Pop was struck hard by what felt like a massive fist, sending the red Ojamajo flying into something.

Pop recovered from the strike but collapsed onto the floor. Her leg was clearly broken. And if she didn't end this soon, it wouldn't be the only thing to break. Once again, she shined her flashlight in multiply directions. This time, she saw it: It resembled the heads of the familiars, but lacked a body. Instead, it had several arms protruding from it, all prepared to strike. The red Ojamajo get ready and activated the Vac-Drive's Water mode and combined it with the sword form. At once, a long, thin blade made of water emerged from the hose.

_This is it!_ Pop thought, _Its all riding on this strike!_

Pop summoned and mounted her broom and then flew straight at the Witch. The Witch replied by launching several spikes and throwing just as many fists. Pop sliced through some of them while getting cut by others. Fighting the pain, the rose-haired Ojamajo gave one final scream before charging the Witch. Moments later, Pop's Water sword turned into a Water tendril and sliced the Witch in multiple directions at once. She then gave one final slash, cleaving the eldritch abomination in two.

It was over.

The Witch Suleika was defeated. Moments later, she had faded into nothing and her barrier dissolved, returning to being the indoor swimming pool.

Pop caught the Grief Seed as it drifted down. She then descended herself, returning to the floor proper. She then collapsed, screaming in pain from her broken leg. Somehow, she recovered enough to get to a kneeling position. Just in time to hear the All-in-One beeping. Pop pulled it out.

"Pop-chan! Daijoubu?" Majo Toron shouted over the transceiver.

"I'm fine, Majo Toron," Pop replied, though winced in pain from her injuries.

"You don't sound like it, Pop-chan."

"Shall I go and take it from there?" Shadow Ruka asked.

"I can still do thi-AGH!" Pop nearly rose up, only to be stopped by her broken leg.

"Gomen ne, Pop-chan, but you're clearly too injured to continue." Shadow Ruka face-palmed. "If by some miracle you're healed, then I'll let you continue on your own. Otherwise…"

"Hai…" Pop replied bitterly, "But I could…could…co…uld…"

The rose-haired Ojamajo tried to continue her sentence, but her consciousness slipped from her. In moments, she was out cold.

* * *

"Wake up, Pop-chan!" Came a voice.

Pop didn't know who it belonged to at first. _Just five more minutes, please?_ Pop groaned as her now-slightly stiff body refused to move. _That's all I need._

"If you don't wake up, then I'll just have to drag you back myself and take over saving your friends."

Pop's eyes shot open at those words.

"Eh? !" Pop stuttered. She was in the presence of Shadow Ruka. "How long was I-? !"

"Not long considering how easily I made it in here," Shadow Ruka deadpanned.

Now that Pop had adjusted, she could see the room more clearly now. The room was a wreck. Shattered tiles were scattered all over the place. The handrails were bent and the diving board was apparently at the bottom of the deep end of the pool. Thankfully, the lights were on.

"That last arti-ghost," Pop said, recalling the events, "It was so powerful. Nothing I tried worked." She then took out the blue coin. It was as she thought: It was the Water medallion. "At least I have this coin now!"

Shadow Ruka glanced at the medallion. "Well then I'm off."

"Hai!" Pop's eyes went wide. "Matte! Didn't you say you would take it from here?"

"I did." Shadow ruka sighed. "But I also said that if you were healed, I would allow you to continue. Guess what happened before I got here."

Pop hadn't noticed it until then; she was standing on her own two feet without any sort of pain. She then looked over her body. None of the cuts and bruises she suffered was present.

"Well, I guess I really can continue, Shadow-" Pop turned and saw that Shadow Ruka had vanished. "Huh, wha-? ! EH? ! Shadow Ruka? !" Pop shook her head. This wasn't the time to be worrying about such things. "If there are any more arti-ghosts like that one, I'll need to be prepared."

Pop clicked one of the newer entries to the All-in-One.

_Sea Quake: This fiend has been gifted with the power of Water. It moves and attacks like Blue Shakers; It is more powerful than they are and it can control water. Its elemental nature protects it from light sources except the Light medallion's power. The only way to make it vulnerable is to use the Ice medallion's power on it, and freeze its core. Once that has been done, it can be stunned and sucked up normally. It is just as resilient as the trashcan._

_I need to find out which elements are good and weak against, _thought Pop, _Then I'll beable to deal with them better. For now, I have the Water medallion, so I guess Fire arti-ghosts can be defeated._

Pop remembered her poron and how it was flung into the water. Throwing caution to the wind, the rose-haired Ojamajo dove into the pool. To her dismay, it was on the deep end, forcing her to take a very deep breath and dive as far as she could. She managed to retrieve it, if only through sheer determination.

_And that only took about forty-five minutes of my time,_ Pop mentally fumed, _At least I have my magic ba-_ "OUCH~!"

Pop's thought was interrupted by yet another key bouncing off her head. She picked it up and noticed that the shimmer was near the door at the far end. It quickly vanished from sight.

Pop again threw caution to the wind and inserted the key. A resounding click told her everything she needed to know…

* * *

The room behind the indoor swimming pool was very clearly a storeroom. Crates were stacked on top of each other and barrels arranged in rows. Strangely, the lights were already on.

_I'm not complaining_, thought Pop, _Though I think I may have an idea as to why…_ The rose-haired Ojamajo's thoughts drifted back to the cat-like familiar. She never saw which door it came out of, so it could very well have been in here. How it got in this room was anyone's guess…

The opposite wall was utterly featureless, not even having any of the familiar patterns that the rest of the mansion had. Pop saw a button on the wall along with a note.

_Do not push!  
P.S. Saying 'Do not push' so as to goad you into pushing it. Seriously, Light Beings are so stupid like that._

Pop face-palmed. She didn't recognize the handwriting outright, but she could still tell it was that of the Shadow Ojamajos. She decided to push the button anyway. Moments later, the wall sank into the floor, revealing a space that, combined with this room, more than doubled its size. The red Ojamajo then noticed a metal grating that appeared to have joints along with a switch on the far wall.

Pop went up to the switch and pulled it down. Immediately, the grating on the floor opened up.

"I told you she would show up!" came a loud voice. It sounded like Doremi, but the tone was nothing like her sibling's.

"You said she would show up right then and there," another voice deadpanned. It sounded like Hazuki, but once again its tone was different, "About three hours ago!"

"At least she f**king came!" another yelled. It sounded like Aiko.

"Let's just get her already!" a fourth voice sounding like Onpu suggested.

"H-hai," a voice sounding like Momoko timidly agreed.

Pop braced herself as seven figures emerged from the now open grating. They looked like her friends but with darker colors. The red Ojamajo knew exactly who they were: The Shadow Ojamajos. And all semblance of surprise had evaporated a long time ago.

"I bet you weren't expecting us, Light Pop!" Shadow Pop boasted.

"It's certainly a shame you had to come this far for nothing," Shadow Onpu began.

"Now we're gonna do to you what we did to out Light Halves!" Shadow Hazuki said menacingly.

Shadow Doremi produced a small device and handed it to Shadow Pop. "Wanna do the honors? She is your Light Half after all."

"The role I'm born to do!" Shadow Pop smirked.

None of the Shadow Ojamajos saw Pop flipping a switch on the Vac-Drive.

"I'm not going down without a fight," Pop said bitterly.

"You against all seven of us?" Shadow Onpu scoffed, "Bring it on!"

Shadow Onpu fired a beam of Shadow magic at Pop. Pop, expecting to be blown back, shut her eyes. The beam hit, but Pop hardly felt a thing. She opened her eyes to a peculiar sight: The Shadow Ojamajos were standing there, clearly in shock.

"Eh?" Shadow Onpu gasped, "B-but you were-"

"Let me give it a shot!" Shadow Aiko shouted. She fired a beam of her own. And just like Shadow Onpu's beam, it too had little to not effect. "Fukanou!"

"I guess this device Majo Toron gave me works after all," Pop said.

"It won't work on this!" Shadow Doremi shouted, "Minna! Together!"

All seven Shadow Ojamajos got their porons together, with Shadow Hana placing both gloves instead.

"_**Shadow Stage!**_" all seven shouted.

Immediately, the combined power of the Shadow Ojamajos rocketed towards Pop in a single blast of Shadow magic. When the smoke cleared, Pop was still standing, completely unscathed. She was surprised though.

"I knew Majo Toron could reverse engineer Majo Isabelle's anti-Shadow tech, but this is ridiculous!"

"You're using WHAT? !" Shadow Aiko shouted, "After everything that b***h did, and you're using her goddamn gizmos! ?"

"Didn't our teaming up and defeating Light Isabelle together mean anything to you?" Shadow Momoko begged, "We saved all worlds from her rule!"

"I could ask you the same thing," Pop spat, "Why are you seven doing this? ! Where are my friends? ! WHERE IS ONEE-CHAN! ?" Pop glared at the Shadow Ojamajos. "Well? ANSWER ME!"

Shadow Doremi bit her lip. Pop was practically invulnerable to their most powerful attacks and all they had was an army that was almost useless against her.

Pop could tell from the shifting expressions on their faces; the Shadow Ojamajos were debating about what to do via their telepathy. She couldn't stand waiting around for them to decide. She smiled.

"I wonder what the Vac-Drive could do in this mode," Pop said menacingly.

The rose-haired Ojamajo turned the hose towards Shadow Pop and activated its suction. To the Shadow Ojamajos' shock and horror, Shadow Pop lost her balance and was now being pulled towards Pop.

"Minna! HELP!" Shadow Pop yelled.

Immediately Shadow Hana rushed to the aid of her partner-in-crime and grabbed on tight. Shadow Aiko assisted with her muscle. After several minutes of struggling, during which Shadow Doremi, Shadow Hazuki, Shadow Onpu, and Shadow Momoko aided, Shadow Pop was pulled free.

"Minna! Run!" Shadow Doremi shouted.

"But we can-" Shadow Aiko blurted.

"Don't think. RUN!"

"Get back here!" Pop yelled angrily as she began to trying to suck them in.

To the rose-haired Ojamajo's frustration, the suction didn't zero in on any of them. It only affected those who were caught in it instead.

Shadow Onpu put herself in between Pop and Shadow Momoko before blasting the ground with her magic. It was quick, but all seven Shadow Ojamajos escaped, leaving Pop fuming in rage.

"When I get my hands on them, I'll-!" Pop's eyes went wide at what she was doing. She was invulnerable to them and impatient and that caused them to flee before she could get the answers she wanted. "What…What am I doing?"

Pop collapsed in shock at what she had done just then. They were defenseless against her now. She could do whatever she pleased with them once she found them. She could hurt them however way she wanted. But that just wasn't her. She had acted just like a ruthless thug.

* * *

**A/N: I'm going to skip out on proofreading this time as well.**

**The descriptions included are a shout out to "Sweetie's Mansion". If you haven't reads that fic, then go do it. It can be found on FimFiction.**


	7. Trial by Fire, Ice, and Sweets

**A/N: There is a large possibility that I won't be able to upload the final chapter by the 31****st**** of October. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Trial by Fire, Ice, and Sweets-

* * *

A door was opened, being slammed into the wall in the process. Several figures entered the cavernous room.

"I can NOT f**king believe this!" Shadow Aiko seethed. The blue-haired Shadow slammed her fist into the wall to drive her point home. "We wait for hours for Light Pop to show up…" Shadow Aiko removes her fist from the wall, which now has a sizable indention in it. "…only for her to have one of THOSE goddamn anti-Shadow devices! ?"

"Calm down, Shadow Ai-chan," Shadow Hana cooed, "It's not like we can't beat her without magic."

"Hellooo? !" Shadow Onpu interjected, "Both of you! Get a brain! We can't beat her as we are now!"

"Because I _never_ think these things through," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "Being the genius I am, why do you think I stocked up on conventional weaponry?"

"Because they looked nice?" Shadow Pop snorted.

"Because I'm a genius WITH some common sense _and_ intuition!" Shadow Hazuki summoned a shotgun using her magic. "Didn't it ever occur to you that Light Pop _would_ have something useful against us?"

"Well, I can't say the same for Shadow Doremi-chan's plan," Shadow Aiko replied, "Seriously! Those familiars you insisted on using are eating up all our wraiths and multiplying!"

"And the Wraith Generator we stole from Light Isabelle can't maintain their numbers," Shadow Hazuki added, "And that's NOT even factoring Light Pop into the equation either…"

Shadow Doremi could only stand in silence, looking at the far wall. She was lost in thought.

"Hellooo! Earth to Shadow Doremi!" Shadow Onpu called in frustration.

"Hmm? Oh," Shadow Doremi said, turning around, "Gomen ne, Shadow Onpu-chan."

Shadow Onpu sighed. "Y'know, you haven't been playing pranks as much as you used to. This doesn't have anything to do with what happened during the final battle with Light Isabelle, does it?"

"I think it does…"

Everyone sighed from the remark. Shadow Onpu turned around.

"Shadow Momo-chan, you don't have to be shy-" Shadow Onpu began. She then gasped. "Shadow Momo-chan?" Shadow Momo-chan? !"

"I thought she was with you!" Shadow Hana quickly shouted

Shadow Onpu grit her teeth in worry and anger. "Shadow Momo-chan is out there all by herself…WITH LIGHT POP!" Shadow Onpu suddenly stormed out of the room. Shadow Doremi gave chase and met her at the door to another room down the hall. "Don't try to stop me, Shadow Doremi-chan."

"Shadow Onpu-chan-" shadow Doremi began.

"It's my fault Shadow Momo-chan is lost!"

"Shadow Onpu-chan-!"

"And if I can't save her, then I'll never forgive myself!"

"SHADOW ONPU-CHAN!"

"Eh?"

Shadow Doremi gave a sad look towards the purple-haired Shadow. "Bring her back safely, okay?"

"I will!" Shadow Onpu entered the room. A few moments later, she came out with a shotgun and a longer-than-average butcher knife. "This is just in case Light Pop destroys my gun." Shadow Onpu cocked the shotgun and vanished into the darkness, leaving Shadow Doremi by herself.

"Good luck, Shadow Onpu-chan."

* * *

Pop exited the storeroom in a stupor. Even though the Shadow Ojamajos had done _something_ to her friends, she still felt bad about trying to drag them off. The rose-haired Ojamajo wanted to know what happened, but with the Shadow Ojamajos hiding somewhere, she had few other options.

She must hunt them down. One by one.

Pop exited the indoor swimming pool. At once, another arti-ghost appeared and rolled something at her. Pop side-stepped the projectile and stunned it with her flashlight. It fell the moment she started sucking it up. The rose-haired Ojamajo then decided to click on the new entry.

_Yellow Bowler: A mischievous fiend that prefers ambush tactics. Their preferred method of attack is rolling bombs at their target and then vanishing after hitting. They keep attacking until they get a strike off. They are just as weak as White Taunters and Purple Bombers._

_The most powerful and aggressive of arti-ghosts with no resilience,_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _Better get going._

A sound came from around the corner. Pop thought it was the door to the foyer opening. She stealthily made her way to the corner and caught a glimpse of the door closing.

_You can run, but you can't hide!_

Pop quickly made her way to the door and returned to the foyer. Once there, she heard another door close. It was close, giving the red Ojamajo a good idea as to which door it was. At once, she went up the stairs and into parlor, entering just in time to see the other door close. Pop gave chase and went into the anteroom behind it. This time, she found out exactly who she was chasing.

"Don't move!" Pop ordered, aiming the hose at her, "If you know what's good for you."

The Shadow, Shadow Momoko, froze and slowly turned around, fear evident in her eyes. She stared back at the red Ojamajo, seeing a look of pure rage. The yellow-haired Shadow felt herself being pushed into a corner. She stumbled and fell to the ground, where she continued trying to put distance between herself and the angry Light Being approaching her.

"P-p-please! Have mercy!" Shadow Momoko begged, "N-none of us wanted to- We didn't-! Please! Black Queen-sama! She-!"

"URUSAI!" Pop shouted, forgetting what happened back in the storeroom, "You and those others did something to Onee-chan and my friends!" She straightened her aim a bit. "For that…I won't forgive you!"

"But please! PLEASE! I can-!"

Pop grit her teeth in anger. "Too little. Too late! !"

And with those words, Pop turned the suction on. Shadow Momoko immediately grabbed onto the carpet, trying to get a decent grip. The force of the suction combined with her inability to get a good enough grip sealed the Shadow's fate. Shadow Momoko went into full panic mode.

"No! No! Please! I'll do anything! Please! PLEASE!" Shadow Momoko pleaded. Her pleas landed on deaf ears as she was rapidly pulled closer to the hose's nozzle. And she gave one final scream before vanishing into the Vac-Drive. "No! NO! **NOOO! SHADOW ONPU-CHAN-!**" This was quickly followed by a jingling sound.

Pop was breathing heavily through her teeth. "Good riddance!" she said bitterly, "You had this coming. You and every other damn Shadow Ojamajo!" Pop continued to glare at the nozzle as though she were glaring at Shadow Momoko. "You were all fools to do this. I do not like fools."

Pop put the nozzle away. A shining object on the floor caught her attention. She picked it up and found them to be a couple of keys.

_These must've been on Shadow Momoko when she was sucked up._

Pop put the keys away. That's when her thoughts began drifting to Shadow Momoko.

Shadow Momoko. The most sensitive and fragile of the seven Shadow Ojamajos. Once, she was just as arrogant as the rest, but her abduction and torture at the hands of Kada had changed her drastically. Since then, she had been an emotional wreck, crying and panicking easily and generally showing little to no confidence. During _that_ incident, Pop and the other Ojamajos felt sorry for her and agreed to go easy on the poor thing, despite knowing full well what she was and what she had done in the past.

Pop's thoughts over her made her realize what she had done. Shadow Momoko was easily the most defenseless of the Shadow Ojamajos and quite easily the most innocent right now. Come to think of it, Pop did notice that, back in the storeroom, Shadow Momoko showed signs of wanting nothing to do with whatever her friends were up to.

It was then that red Ojamajo recalled how fiercely protective Shadow Onpu was of Shadow Momoko, almost always lashing out at anyone who dared threaten her. She had prevented anyone from getting close to her when she was in suffering and generally soothed her and kept her company.

The rose-haired Ojamajo had no way of knowing whether or not the Vac-Drive prevented Shadows from using their telepathy. Pop had little time to ponder any further, especially now since she was certain that a familiar purple-haired Shadow was officially out for her blood. She wasted no time in getting out of the room and returning to the first floor hallway…

* * *

Pop made saw the shimmer once again and followed the fast-moving apparition to a door at the end of the hallway. It was right beside the door to the washroom.

The rose-haired Ojamajo tried the first key and found that it would go in properly. The second one opened it up, allowing her to enter…a bathroom. Pop face-palmed.

_Uggghhhh, seriously?_ Pop thought, _They wasted a key on a simple bathroom? !_ Pop kicked a metal can in frustration, knocking it over and causing a key to fall out. _Nevermind. They're just trying to make me mad…_ "Rrgghhh, AND IT'S WORKING!"

Pop picked up the key and left in a huff. Immediately, she again caught sight of the shimmer and followed it, coming to a door beyond the first branch. Pop inserted the key and turned. One resounding click and Pop opened the door…

* * *

The room wasn't anything like the rest of the mansion. Instead of the carpeting and weird patterns that adorned them there was a hardwood floor. The walls were relatively featureless, reminding Pop of Hazuki's room. It even had what speared to be a balcony overlooking Misora, though it turned out to be an image plastered onto another wall.

The only thing different from Hazuki's real room was a door to her left. Pop, ignoring the eerie feeling of being in Hazuki's room, inserted her last key got a resounding click. The door opened, and Pop, as always, went inside…

* * *

The room was large and looked just like any other empty room in the mansion. The main difference was an enormous mirror dominating an entire wall.

Pop felt an unusual warmth in the room; normally, the mansion was very cold due to the night and season, with the indoor swimming pool being colder just because. The red Ojamajo braced and pressed herself against the door, anticipating an ambush.

She saw two small clouds appear and dissipate and heard a familiar light snarl. She gave a quick glance at the mirror and saw them: The arti-ghosts that appeared before her resembled the Grips she ran into earlier, albeit having a bluish hue. Pop, relying on the mirror to see them, moved away from the ati-ghosts and ensured that she would get them both in one suction. She succeeded and both were defeated though they took longer than the other Grips.

The lights didn't come on despite the arti-ghosts having been defeated, so Pop waited once again. She checked the newest entry to pass the time.

_Turquoise Grip: This fiend has access to total invisibility in addition to being more resilient than its weaker cousins. It still casts reflections in mirrors, so use those to track them._

_Why do I keep reading these AFTER I face the arti-ghosts they tell me about?_ Pop mentally berated herself, _Oh wait, that's right: I risk getting attacked unless I'm in a safe spot. _Pop gave an annoyed sigh.

Suddenly, the temperature in the room seemed to jump. Already, Pop was sweating. She tried the door, but found it locked tight. She turned back around. That's when it appeared. "It" was what appeared to be a larger version of the Grips she had faced, except it wasn't invisible, had a long tail, dragon-like wings, clawed hands, a white glow, and a fiery core. It let out a roar…followed by a gout of fire.

Pop dodged quickly, but the tail end of the attack got her regardless. She had to keep moving to stay out of its attacks, leaving no time to read its entry. At the same time, the room had been set ablaze by the powerful arti-ghost's attacks and Pop was finding it increasingly difficult to stay on her toes. Her eyes stung and her strength was fading rapidly.

Finally, after thirty seconds of evading, the arti-ghost grabbed Pop by the neck and pinned her against the wall, intending to strangle her. The red Ojamajo felt its hot breath begin to sear her exposed flesh. She was already weak from smoke inhalation and the intense heat in the room. Fighting it all off, Pop reached for the hose, switched it to Water-energy mode, and, mustering every last ounce of strength she had left, sprayed the arti-ghost with water.

Immediately, the draconic arti-ghost dropped Pop and withdrew, its core fading from being snuffed out. Immediately, the light being given off by the flames stunned it. Pop activated the Vac-Drive and began sucking it up. It dragged her along and fought violently against her hold, but Pop managed to keep it tethered. It then dragged the red Ojamajo through the flames, forcing her to let it go and vanish.

Pop regained her bearings and began using the Water to put out the flames. The arti-ghost returned once half of them were out and making sure there wouldn't be enough light stun it. By the time Pop got out her flashlight, the draconic arti-ghost had already regenerated its fiery core. She threw the flashlight to the side and tried to spray it again.

To her horror, the powerful monstrosity replied with a stream of fire, nulling her water attacks and creating a lot of steam. It bellowed angrily and blasted her again with more fire. Pop jumped out of the way, only to once again be caught by the tail end of the attack. Wheat little strength she had left, she gathered into trying to spray the monstrosity again.

The powerful arti-ghost saw what Pop was doing and wasted no time in using its tail to grab and slam her against the wall. It then pressed its clawed thumbs down on her neck and began strangling her once more. Pop tried desperately to break free, but with heat and smoke rapidly draining her already failing strength, it was an effort destined for failure.

Pop could feel her consciousness fading. Everything started getting blurry and dark. _Is…Is this…Is this how I die…?_ Pop weakly pondered, _Onee-chan…Minna…gomennasai…but I couldn't-_

A loud noise from above interrupted her thought. And then, just like that, the entire ceiling followed by the floor of the room above collapsed, falling into the mirror room. The monstrosity, startled by the noise, didn't know that its grip had loosened, allowing Pop to take a deep breath. It was smoke laced, but had enough oxygen to give her some strength. She quickly took advantage of it and, regaining her grip on the Vac-Drive's hose, sprayed a stream of water directly into the arti-ghost's fiery core.

It did the trick. The monstrosity dropped Pop once again and withdrew a slight distance before being stunned by the light. Pop decided against sucking it in and continued the stream. More and more steam came off the arti-ghost, obscuring Pop's vision. Finally, the arti-ghost let out an agonized roar as it faded from existence.

Pop wasted no time in getting to the door. It was still locked but Pop tackled it. To her relief, the door had been badly damaged by the fire and easily shattered. She then collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath as she did. The ordeal had taken too much out of her. She passed out moments later.

* * *

Pop felt like she was on a cloud. The softness. The fluffiness. It was relaxing. She wished she could stay on it forever. And yet, she wanted to be more comfortable. She twisted and turned…and fell off.

The red Ojamajo landed on the floor with a thud. Reluctantly, she got back up and took a look around. It looked like Hazuki's room. It was Hazuki's room. But why was it so dark? And where was-

A whiff of smoke snapped Pop out of her dream-like trance. It stung her nose and eyes, just like when she was fighting-…It all came back to her now. The fight, the brush with death, the inferno she was trapped in, the falling ceiling, the way into the second floor, everything. Pop felt herself all over and quickly found herself devoid of wounds, both to her relief and confusion.

_But…I…I thought I was done for, _Pop thought, _I couldn't have-!_

Pop caught a glimpse of a familiar shimmer. In an instant, she turned to see it. Never before had she been this close to it. It was time to take in as many details a possible before it fled again.

It was transparent, just like the arti-ghosts. It had a roughly humanoid shape. And it had a slight orange glow.

That was all Pop could tell before it vanished through the wall. She burned these details into her head before wondering what to do next. She wasn't sure if the burned room still had anything of interest nor was she certain whether or not the room above it had any unlocked doors for her to get to the second floor with. Ultimately, she decided to see what was left of the mirror room and went through the open doorway accordingly.

It was predictable. The room was a mess and still reeked of smoke. Debris and ash were everywhere, complicating the dust problem shared by the rest of the mansion. Pop spied the remains of a bed amid the wreckage; it had clearly been destroyed by the fall and further ruined by the flames. The mirror that once dominated the wall had either cracked or melted off.

_I guess that arti-ghost didn't make it past its seven years of bad luck,_ Pop mentally deadpanned.

A red gleam caught Pop's attention. Taking a wild guess, Pop bent down and picked up the gleam's source: A red coin. The rose-haired Ojamajo gave a closer look and then pulled out the Water Medallion. It had a tear drop shape on it whereas the red coin had a flame. There was no mistaking it, but Pop had scored the Fire Medallion.

And then Pop remembered that she should look at that arti-ghost's entry.

_Burning Strangler: A wrathful and dragon-like fiend gifted with the power of fire. Its preferred method of attack is grabbing with its clawed hands and strangling its target. It will use its long tail to aid it, if possible, in addition to using its fire powers. A regular light won't work; anyone hoping to fight it must use water-based powers or magic to douse its core. Only then will it be vulnerable to the light._

_I guess it still carries that weakness to water, even after losing its core. Oh well, its loss. That's one more Medallion for me. Only…five more to go…_

Pop sighed and returned to the replica of Hazuki's room. She was about to return to the hallways when another gleam attracted her attention. It was another key, which Pop immediately picked up.

* * *

The shimmer floated a ways down the hall. Pop saw it and once again gave chase, coming to the opposite end and to a locked door. Pop, by instinct, used her new key and tried the lock. It opened easily enough, allowing passage. By then, the shimmer had once again vanished, leaving Pop frustrated and annoyed.

"Why can't you face me alone?" Pop called out, "Who are you?" Pop took a deep breath. "Maybe if you told me who you were and why you've been avoiding me, then maybe we could, you know, team up?"

Pop got no response. With an annoyed sigh, she looked around the new room. It resembled a laundry mat, albeit a small one fit for a mansion like this one.

_I guess small laundry mats are perfect for badly-design mansions…_

And then, right beside the washing machine, a familiar arti-ghost appeared, followed by a familiar stench. Pop held her nose against it and tried to stun the Trashcan, but it was too late. By the time she could properly aim her flashlight, it had already vanished. The lights came on.

A gleaming metal object on the floor made Pop forget all about the Trashcan. It was, unsurprisingly, a key.

_Have these Shadow Ojamajos ever heard of a Master Key?_

Pop glanced at either side. On her right was a door. It lacked a mat, so Pop thought it to be another trap. Her left had another door. This one had shifting runes on it.

_Not another witch…Oh well. It's not going to kill itself. And I do need to test out my new fire powers anyway!_

"Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Refill the meter!"

At once, Pop's spell extracted energy from the three Medallions she had. The meters for Darkness, Water, and Fire went to max.

Once all was said and done, Pop scanned the runes on the door with hopes for getting a clue about the Witch and how to beat her. They were arranged in a position like a clock.

1_2_3_4_5_6_7_8_9_10_11_12

_A Witch of time, huh? _Pop swallowed hard, knowing that once she went inside, there will be no coming out unless she defeats the Witch. _Here goes nothing!_

Pop unlocked the door and grabbed the knob…and she was immediately beset by a rush of memories. Memories that were not her own. She quickly released the knob and clutched her head. She felt like she should hate the idiotic men who viewed her…but since when did idiotic men view her? And why was she suddenly feeling tremendous disgust?

Pop shook the strange feelings and opened the door, expecting the worst from this Witch…

* * *

The barrier was an endless expanse. Gears floated in the void and bird-like familiars flew around in the darkness. In the center of it all was a massive birdcage.

Pop, who was standing on one of the gears, summoned her broom and took flight towards the birdcage. She didn't want to get caught by surprise, so she hid on other gears as she made her approach. Once she got close enough, she pulled out the All-in-One and scanned the runes.

ROBERTA

Pop looked up her entry.

_ROBERTA: The birdcage Witch. Her nature is rage. She continuously stamps her feet inside her cage, directing her rage at those who don't respond to her. This Witch is extremely fond of alcohol, and her minions are easy to burn._

_And alcohol burns easily enough, so my new fire powers should do the trick!_

_GOTZ: The birdcage Witch's minion. His duty is to act with frivolous indiscretion. These birds that swarm together are idiotic men. Even though they are total good-for-nothings, they try to attract her attention by swarming around her feet and attempting to woo her. They are nothing more than objects of disgust to the Witch._

_Then why make them to begin with?_ Pop thought, _Why make minions that you know you'll hate?_

Pop put the All-in-One away in disgust. She then stared from behind her hiding spot to get a better look at the Witch. It wasn't a Witch of time like she had previously thought, especially since it was the witch of birdcages. She thought that it made sense that the Witch would be a birdcage herself…until she noticed what was inside the thing. It resembled a pair of legs connected only by a lower abdomen and was stamping as though in anger.

It was just like what the description said: The actual Witch was inside a cage of her own accord and driving off the familiars that swarm around her. And then Pop realized that sudden hatred for idiotic men: The familiars represented something she hated in the past. Her past. Roberta's past. And this barrier-

Pop shook her head. She didn't have the time to ponder the Witch and she certainly didn't have the time to ponder what she may have been at some other point in time. She had to stop her. Destroy her. Put her out of her misery.

With those thoughts, Pop fired several fire balls at the birdcage. Several familiars were caught in the explosions and incinerated. The Witch stamped in rage at what was going on. Pop answered with another barrage of fire balls, blowing open the cage and knocking her out of it. Pop then spent the last of her fire energy and channeled it into a single blast. It hit dead center and the Witch was incinerated. Its final scream didn't sound like a monster, but a middle-aged woman.

Pop decided against seeing its demise and turned away, walking off as the barrier faded and reverted back to the room it once was. It seemed to be a dank room that a servant would live in rather than the –formerly- lavish rooms from elsewhere, complete with a minor workshop. The lights came on almost instantly, much to Pop's comfort.

Grabbing the Grief Seed, the red Ojamajo decided to search the room for anything useful. S gleam from a key caught her attention. But as soon as she picked it up, the wall it was next to turned, bringing her with it and into another room. Pop reeled from the spin and fell over something. When she regained her bearings, she took in the sight of the new room. It was definitely a treasury, as one could discern from all the gold jewelry that had been stashed there. The thing Pop fell over was a red chest that likely had more treasure in it.

Pop wasn't interested in the treasure; she was more worried about why the room was even colder than the indoor swimming pool. The answer appeared quickly enough. It was yet another arti-ghost, one that looked like the pink gowns that had appeared far earlier. It was bigger, had white glow, and had a core made of ice. It spread its arms and, just like that, the wall Pop had fallen through was frozen shut.

Pop immediately began trying to blast it with fire, but only dust came out, much to the arti-ghost's amusement. The red Ojamajo cursed herself for not refilling the gauge and instead began spraying water at it. The arti-ghost responded in kind by giving off an icy wind that froze the water right where it landed.

Pop smirked, knowing full well that a wall of ice could block out its ice powers and buy her enough time to recharge her fire powers and defeat it. It caught on quickly and ceased channeling frigid air. Pop's smirk quickly turned into a look of anxiety, promptly trying to do something else to buy time; the room's small size made didn't help. She just had to try and out maneuver its attacks while casting her spell.

"Pipitto…" Pop began chanting. She sidestepped a jet of cold air, though her boot was frozen. "Purito…" Pop leapt out of the way of a fist. The area where it landed froze instantly. "Puritan…" The monstrosity nailed Pop with a jet of ice, freezing her foot to the ground. "P-P-Pe-p-per-ruto!" Pop finished, shivering as she did so. "Fire gauge, f-fill up!" The monstrosity began charging up its power, intending to finish her off in one shot.

Pop's spell tapped into the Fire Medallion, extracting the energy and refilling the gauge. Pop pointed the hose in the powerful arti-ghost's direction and unleashed a stream of fire just as it launched its frozen hadouken. Both streams met and immediately began trying to push each other back. Pop pushed as hard as she could, but it was all too clear that the frozen arti-ghost's power was going to win out. Instead, she waited for the perfect moment and sidestepped the beam. Not a second later, she blasted the arti-ghost with fire just as the beam hit to opposite wall and froze it in a thick layer of ice.

The monstrosity reeled from the attack, its core evaporating. It shook it off and prepared to punch Pop, but she quickly launched another blast of flame, immobilizing it. She watched with determination as the arti-ghost grew weaker and weaker. At the same time, she was keeping an eye on the gauge, hoping that it would last long enough to finish the monster.

To her disbelief, it ran out. The monster survived the assault and prepared once again to strike. Pop made haste and got out her flashlight. Without its core, it was vulnerable to the light and was now stunned. Pop wasted no time in sucking it in; to her relief, it had been weakened enough to be captured in one suction. And when it finally vanished, the lights came on, revealing the now-frozen majesty of the room.

Pop took no interest in the room itself and quickly opened the chest. To her surprise, it was full of large jewels; they were a ruby, sapphire, emerald, silver diamond, and a gold diamond. Underneath them all was a key and a whitish coin. The rose-haired Ojamajo took the key and gave a good look at the coin.

"Eh? But, that arti-ghost I beat," Pop sputtered, "It used the power of ice!"

The symbol on the coin didn't depict a form of ice. Instead, it reminded Pop of swirling air currents. She tested out its energy and, sure enough, a blast of air came out instead of ice. She let out a sigh.

_I guess not all Medallions are guarded by an arti-ghost that's using its power…But I can check the new entry._

Pop got out the All-in-One and went to the new entry.

_Snow Dress: A flowing fiend with cold intentions. Like its cousins, the Pink Gowns, it likes to attack by punching. However, unlike them, it uses its power over ice to immobilize its targets first. If faced with fire, it'll try to charge up a powerful, ice-based hadouken. This attack can't be matched, so it is wise to try and evade it and get off a cheap shot._

Pop decided to refill the fire gauge again and melt the ice sealing the pass wall. Once all was said and done, Pop left the treasury, Medallion, keys, and jewels in hand.

* * *

A cabinet burst apart against the wall. A door was hanging off its hinges. And a beam of Shadow magic turned a table into splinters.

Shadow Onpu was beside herself. She had failed Shadow Momoko. She didn't make it in time. And now she had no idea where the one responsible was.

"That's it," Shadow Onpu said darkly, "No more Mrs. Nice girl." Shadow Onpu raised her poron. "Light Pop…You will DIE for this!"

_Shadow Onpu-chan!_ Came Shadow Doremi's telepathic call, _You can't! Black Queen-sama wants a full set! She wants ALL seven of them-_

_I know that!_ Shadow Onpu bit back, _We'll just force another Shadow to bring her back once I'm done!_

_I don't think that's such a good idea,_ Shadow Aiko warned, _Black Queen-sama specifically told us not to kill them this time! And for a very, very, VERY good reason!_

_Shadow Ai-chan's right! _Shadow Hana called, _If we don't follow Black Queen-sama's orders, then we're toast!_

_Yeah! She's still mad at us for teaming up with our light halves_, Shadow Pop added, _Especially Onee-chan for what happened…_

_Because doing _that_ with your Light Half, even if it's against your will, is A-OK in her book…_ Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.

_What we're trying to say is, just let _them _handle it,_ Shadow Doremi said, _We'll get extra recognition if we did and she's already glad we pulled it off!_

Shadow Onpu grit her teeth and then sighed in defeat. _Then I'll just subdue her and get Shadow Momo-chan back that way._ Shadow Onpu tightened her grip on her shotgun. _But there's nothing stopping me from badly injuring her. See ya!_

_Chotto Matte, Shadow Onpu-chan!_ The Shadow Ojamajos called. Too late. The purple Shadow Ojamajo had already shut off any further telepathic messages. She then left the parlor…or at least what's left of it.

_That's one way to up our worry for her,_ Shadow Hazuki grumbled sarcastically.

* * *

Pop stood in front of the door opposite to the indoor swimming pool. The runes had not changed, but that did nothing to light the red Ojamajo's mood. She had already unlocked the door but was afraid of the surge she would get if she touched the knob. That's when a thought struck her: Why not use magic to open it?

Pop looked at her poron. _Six magic spheres left,_ she thought, _That should be enough for this stretch. Maybe more than enough._

She threw caution to the wind and applied her spell. The magic wound around the knob…only to fizzle out with no effect. Pop's heart skipped a beat; she had just wasted a magic sphere through yet another violation of common sense. She face-palmed in bitterness and disgust.

Pop swallowed hard as she reluctantly reached out for the knob. And just like before, a surge of memories forced themselves into her head. Clutching her head, Pop released the knob and began fearing for the worst.

Her mother was in the hospital, stricken with cancer, and there was nothing she could do about it. Her father was going to be beside himself. And Doremi was going to be- No! This wasn't her mother. It was someone else's. These memories didn't make sense with her own. She had seen her mother just earlier that night, before she pretended to go to sleep. She was alive and well and definitely NOT a cancer patient.

Pop shook her head as hard as she could. The foreign memories were much more than the previous two surges. Was she going insane? Was her tactic of snarking her way through fallacies failing? Was it doomed from the start? Was it doomed from before she thought to use it? The stream of questions boring into her skull were already doing an excellent job so far.

Pop tossed aside what she could and opened the door…

* * *

This barrier was completely different from the last one. Not only was it cavernous, but it was also laced with sweets…or at least, they seemed to be sweets. Pop didn't want to find out, especially since there were familiars roaming about. Thankfully, the many crevices and movable objects provided excellent hiding spots, allowing Pop to move unnoticed.

The barrier was dark, but light small amounts of light were somehow able to come in. Pop kept a sharp eye out, checking to see when the familiars moved. They seemed to be looking for something, but Pop couldn't bother herself to find out what. What it did mean was that as long as they were distracted by their goal, she could have a better chance of moving undetected. It then occurred to her that it may have been _her_ they were looking for. Pop shuddered at the thought and kept moving.

Pop scanned runes as she came across them.

CHARLOTTE  
CHARLOTTE  
CHARLOTTE  
CHARLOTTE

Pop scanned a bit of actual German. It wasn't in runes and the German-English translator certainly worked better than the Japanese-German ever did.

Ich liebe Käse.  
Ich will nur Käse.  
Es gibt nirgends den Käse.

After scanning it to English, she had it translated to Japanese.

I love Cheese.  
I want only Cheese.  
There is no Cheese anywhere.

_The Witch loves cheese?_ Pop thought in confusion, _But why would a Witch love cheese as much as Onee-chan loves steak?_ Pop shook her head. _She's not human, Pop. She can have _ANY_ personality she wants._

Pop continued onwards, passing one sweet-themed rock after another. The deeper she went, the less cavernous the barrier seemed. The passages seemed more like hallways; more specifically, the hallways of a candyland-themed hospital, complete with needles and jars with body parts in them. The red Ojamajo shuddered at the disturbing sight. Just what has been going on in this Witch's head?

Finally, the rose-haired Ojamajo came across a brightly lit area. Familiars were everywhere, marching in rows. Pop feared that she may have to fight them, but she didn't want to waste the energy nor use magic spheres to replenish it. Ultimately, she settled for using magic to stop time and flying over their heads.

It was simple and made things effortless, but now Pop had only four magic spheres left. She had no idea how to fight this Witch or how much energy she would have to waste. She hid behind a donut within a massive circular area and reviewed the energy she had left. Her Fire, Water, and Dark energy were maxed out whereas her Sky energy was one notch below. _Just enough_, she thought.

Pop emerged from her hiding spot and gave a look around. There were no familiars in sight, much to her relief. On the other hand, there was no sign of the way she entered. That was fine too, since she would have to defeat this Witch if she is to leave. The area was dotted with tables and chairs. What made them different from normal chairs was their sheer height; they had to be at least eighty meters tall.

One table stood out from the others. Pop squinted and gave a hard look at it. Two dolls sat at the impossibly tall table; one was pink while the other was blue. Pop contemplated flying up there and getting a closer look when the pink doll moved. It turned its head and stared at the red Ojamajo through hollow blue eyes.

Pop scanned the doll and looked at its entry.

_Charlotte: The dessert Witch, with a tenacious nature. She desires everything. She will never give up. Though she is capable of creating infinite amounts of any dessert she desires, she is unable to make the cheese she loves most. One can always catch her off-guard with a piece of cheese._

_I guess that explains the German quotes,_ thought Pop, _Let's see about her minions than._

_Pyotr: The dessert Witch's minion. His duty is to search for cheese. However, one shouldn't expect much from him._

_So that's what they were looking for. But…I guess the Witch should've made better minions if all she wants is cheese…_

Pop looked back up at the doll. It was still staring at her. "W-who are you?" Pop asked.

The doll didn't say anything in reply, opting instead to open its mouth. Immediately, something huge, like a giant worm or caterpillar emerged and rushed towards Pop with a big grin on its face. Pop watched in horror as it opened its mouth, revealing a full set of razor-sharp teeth. The red Ojamajo snapped out of her stupor and leapt back just as its jaws snapped shut. She then summoned her broom and took flight, with the Witch in pursuit.

Pop used her Dark energy and formed the usual blade. She dodged another attempt at her life and flew down its back, slicing it open. The Witch screamed in pain, using a voice like a young girl. Pop shook off the feeling of guilt and continued flying. That's when she saw the unthinkable: The Witch opened its mouth, allowing another copy to emerge while the original became like a deflated canvas.

Pop kept ahead of it, luring it into biting and then swooping behind and slicing it open. Every time she pulled it off, another copy would emerge. It didn't seem interested in giving up and so continued to chase Pop.

_This is getting me nowhere!_ Pop mentally yelled, _At this rate, I'll run out of magic and energy before this thing goes down! _Ironically, Pop's Dark energy had fallen to zero, causing her blade to vanish. _Time to use Fire!_

At once, a flaming blade erupted from the hose. Ultimately, it was a repeat of the last time and it wasn't long before her Fire energy fell to zero too. Gritting her teeth, Pop tried Water and used the tendril to get in multiple slices. It worked just as well as last two energies, and it too eventually fell to zero.

At this point, Pop was losing hope. Three energy types expended and nothing to show for it other than a powerful Witch that refused to give up. She wanted to know its weakness. She needed to know its weakness. But what?

She recalled the message: "I love Cheese. I want only Cheese. There is no Cheese anywhere." _Maybe I have to burn another magic sphere after all,_ Pop mentally lamented. _Problem is…When will I get the chance to even use it?_

Pop thought all of this as she was dodging for her life. The Witch's expression shifted from a goofy grin to confusion to frustration and back again. Was it her idea of a game? Or was she just toying with the red Ojamajo? Maybe she thought Pop was cheese? Too many questions. No answers for any of them. Pop had to keep evading the witch's attacks. Unfortunately, sooner or later, she was going to slip up and become the thing's meal.

Pop recalled that she had one more energy to try out. But what was Sky going to do? What did its blade form look like and what were its capabilities? Could it work?

Pop wasted no time in using the Sky energy and formed the blade. It was long yet the only indicator of its presence was the wind spiraling around it. Maybe it could slice it multiple times like the water blade? Maybe it could go inside and slice it up before it could form a copy?

Pop shook her head. It was now or never, all or nothing. Pop dove straight at the Witch. The Witch responded in kind by opening its mouth wide. Pop grit her teeth as she flew right in. The Witch snapped her jaws shut and gave an expression that wouldn't be out of place on a person who had just eaten their favorite food.

Suddenly, Pop sprang into action and began slicing the Witch from the inside out. The length of the Sky blade and the inherent cutting power that Sky energy had made the damage for greater than it would've been had she used anything else. She emerged from the tip of the Witch's tail and flew out into the open. The red Ojamajo then surveyed her handiwork: The Witch had fallen to the ground in tatters and seemed to finally be dead.

Her sense of triumph was cut short by the Witch opening the remains of its mouth and allowing yet another copy emerge.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Pop shouted in disbelief as the Witch lunged at her.

Pop flew out of the way just in time, but now she was out of options. The first part of her gambit worked in that she caused tremendous damage to the Witch. But the second part failed because it couldn't stop the witch from spawning another copy. She was done for. The Sky energy, which had been her only hope, was now at only twenty-five percent. If she was going to do something, she had to figure out what and do it now before she was out. She would never get the time to cast a spell, so everything was riding the next few moments.

The red Ojamajo evaded another bite from the Witch. This time, it was close enough to nail Pop's broom with the star-shaped end of her nose, taking away her balance and sending her straight down. Pop was able to right herself, but ultimately only slowed her fall. She landed feet first on something soft and high up.

Before Pop could look down and see, the Witch turned towards her; Pop stared back into its multi-colored eyes. For reasons Pop could not explain, the Witch's once goofy expression transformed into a look of pure rage. Pop looked down and immediately knew why: She had crushed the blue doll. Wasting no time, Pop got back on her broom just in time to dodge another bite.

_If I've lost this fight, then it wouldn't hurt to get off another strike before I die,_ Pop thought.

She looped back over the Witch one final time and sliced the Witch open. The length and inherent cutting power of the blade once again allowed for more damage than the others and the Witch was cut to the core. This time, the Witch let out a scream of agony and collapsed.

Pop looked on with disbelief. _Why didn't it create another copy? It had no problems making them even after that brutal slashing I did!_ Pop's attention drifted to the crushed blue doll. She the recalled how angry the Witch looked when she saw it. _Could it be that the blue doll made it somehow immortal? Maybe it was the real Witch after all and the worm was a decoy?_ Pop shook her head. _Doesn't matter. It's dead now. Any more yammering is pointless._

* * *

Pop landed on the ground just as the barrier vanished. The room she was now in, which had become brightly lit, was very clearly a dining room, complete with chairs lined up and the table set to begin receiving guests. The plates were empty aside from a layer of dust. The middle of the table was now decorated by the Witch's Grief Seed. Pop took it and went over to the other door.

_If this is a dining room, then this next one should be a kitchen,_ Pop surmised. She inserted her last key into the slot. It wouldn't turn. _Maybe it's already unlocked?_ Pop tested her theory and tried turning the knob. She withdrew her hand the moment she touched it.

The knob felt cold. Not the same cold that the treasure room had, but an unnatural cold. Pop could tell from the way it felt, despite her wearing gloves. She immediately had a bad feeling of what was lurking behind that door. But for now, she would have to wait; she had a good idea as to where this key went. At the same time, she was certain she wouldn't like what was waiting in _that_ room.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the All-in-One beeping. Pop activated the transceiver. Like usual, Majo Toron was on the other end.

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron called, "I'm sorry about not getting in contact sooner."

"Don't worry, Majo Toron," Pop replied, "I've been doing fine. I've even got the Fire and Sky Medallions! Oh, and I…" Pop gave a look that had a hint of regret. "…I got Shadow Momoko too."

Majo Toron did a double take. "One Shadow down, six to go. You're doing great!" Majo Toron's expression hardened. "Unfortunately, that's not why I called."

"You still want to send Shadow Ruka instead?"

Majo Toron shook her head. "No. The room next to the one you're in is the room where Momoko vanished. At the same time, the indoor swimming pool and the storeroom behind it have become dens for Witches."

Pop's eyes went wide. She never thought that rooms she had already cleared out would end up becoming infested by other Witches, even those that used to have barriers in them. The thought simply never occurred to her.

"I understand. We can't have any more Witches roaming about the mansion for fear that they will escape and begin terrorizing Majo Kai. I get it." Pop gave a sigh of frustration. "By the way, what took you so long to get in contact?"

Majo Toron gulped. "Uh, well, you see, a bit of clumsiness on Shadow Ruka's part, uh, 'damaged' her means of communicating with the rest of Kada's team. She's been using my communicator ever since. She's gone back to get it fixed and will be back shortly."

Pop face-palmed. "Great, I'm running low on magic spheres and now the only real means of reliably getting them to me is away for a bit?"

A puff of smoke could be heard in the background of the Center. "I'm back!" Shadow Ruka called, "And my cell is back in business! Thank you Shadow Isabelle!"

"…ok?"

"Well, I could send her there, but these are my last few magic spheres. Use them wisely." Majo Toron called for Shadow Ruka.

Pop heard what seemed to be an argument. It went on for several minutes before both sides sighed. Then, Shadow Ruka appeared in the dining room.

"Here you go!" Shadow Ruka said as she handed Pop a handful of the spheres, "And now I'm off!"

Shadow Ruka left out the door and quickly vanished. Pop counted the spheres and, together with the ones she already had, added up to nine. _Majo Toron wasn't kidding when she said these were her last few magic spheres, _Pop thought, _I _really_ have to ration them now!_

Pop looked at the gauges. All of them were sitting on empty, except for Sky with was sitting on one notch. Reluctantly, Pop used a spell to refill each of them, dropping her spheres to eight.

"Good luck," Majo Toron said before she closed her end.

Pop was now by herself in the mansion. The area was as hostile as ever and she needed all the help she could get. She had four of the Medallions now, but she was running low on magic spheres. At least she was gaining some idea of how to fight better, but will that be enough to defeat the Shadow Ojamajos? On that topic, when was Shadow Onpu going to ambush her? She should've done so by-

Pop shook her head. She shouldn't think about that. Doing so could end up bringing her here, even though she couldn't read minds.

With a look of determination, Pop left the dining room and stared at the now-rune covered door opposite to the dining room.

* * *

**A/N: I am on a tight schedule with this fic. I will not be able to upload the finale on the planned date. If I step on it, I can upload the end of Part 2 by then instead. Until then, please read and review.**

**Used underscores for the runes on Roberta's door due to the Doc. system being a prick about numbers.  
**


	8. Memories of Another Side

**A/N: This chapter will be shorter than the last one. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Memories of Another Side-

* * *

Pop gave a hard stare. The door she was preparing to open was one that she had been to before. However, she had been warned that the room behind it now held a Witch. The runes on it proved that much. Pop scanned them.

Metamorfosi.  
Metamorfosi.  
Metamorfosi.  
Metamorfosi.  
That sounds wonderful!

_It can't translate Italian?_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _But I'm glad to read the last part. I didn't hink Witches could make something so hopeful. _ She sighed. _May as well get it over with. Hit me with those memories…_

Pop grabbed the door knob. At once, the rush of memories struck. The red Ojamajo tried to power through it, but the intensity was greater than the last ones. She felt her head go numb…

* * *

_They were walking along a walkway. All was peaceful. She opened the door and allowed them in. With a bow, they agreed. The room was cozy and well organized. A small, white, ferret-like creature had traveled with them to this apartment._

"_Wow, what a wonderful room!" exclaimed one of the girls traveling with her. She had her pink hair styled in pigtails with red ribbons._

"_I live alone, so don't worry about bothering anyone," she replied politely, "I'm sorry I'm not prepared for guests."_

_The two other girls nodded and set their bags on the floor. She then led them to the table and brought snacks and tea._

"_Mami-san, these are great!" the pink-haired girl said with joy._

_Mami-san? That's right. Mami Tomoe was my name. And this was Madoka Kaname._

"_They taste amazing!" said a blue-haired girl. She knew her name too: Sayaka Miki._

"_Thank you," Mami replied. She set her tea down and prepared herself. "Now that Kyubey's chosen you, you're involved."_

_Kyubey? That small, white, ferret-like creature? That's him? He was kind of cute and adorable._

"_So I thought an explanation was in order," Mami continued._

"_Sure," Sayaka replied, "Whaddya wanna hear?"_

"_I think she means the other way around, Sayaka-chan…" Madoka said, sweat-dropping slightly._

_Mami gave a light-hearted chuckle and showed them something she now held in the palm of her hand. It was an egg-shaped gem within a gold metal cage. It glowed a brilliant yellow._

"_It's beautiful!" Madoka remarked._

"_This is a Soul Gem," Mami explained, "It's a jewel born forth when a girl contracts with Kyubey." Mamai shifted slightly. "The source of her mystic power, and proof that they're a Magical Girl."_

"_Contracts?" Sayaka asked, dumbfounded._

"_I'll fulfill any one of your wishes!" Kyubey replied. His mouth did not move, but he seemed friendly enough._

_Sayaka gasped. "Really? !"_

"_Wishes?" Madoka asked._

"_It doesn't matter what!" Kyubey continued, "I'll make miracles happen!"_

_Sayaka moved her hand to her chin in thought. "Fabulous riches? Immortality? ! Maybe even a feast fit for an emperor!"_

"_That last one is kind of…" Madoka grinned sheepishly._

"_But in exchange," Kyubey continued, "those who hold one of these jewels –a Soul Gem—has the duty to fight Witches."_

_Sayaka and Madoka gasped slightly. "Witches?"_

_There was a silence._

* * *

Pop quickly withdrew her hand from the knob. Out of all the memories she had seen, that one stood out the most and forced itself to the surface. It was relatively happy.

Sayaka. Madoka. Mami. They seemed familiar to her. But how? When did she meet them? Did she meet them? Did she see them somewhere?

Pop decided against thinking about it further and entered through the door…

* * *

The barrier was no less bizarre than the others. It looked just like a tea party out of a picture book. A teacup, a rainbow bridge, and a line of apple trees could be seen. The sky's colors were inverted, giving Pop a sense of unease. The moment she began her approach, she felt herself being pulled towards a strange house. The door opened, and she found herself inside a large room full of boxes and a table.

Surrounding the table were familiars. They looked humanoid, with one variety being overall pink whereas the other was red overall. Floating on top of the table was the focus. It a blue body like an hourglass and a rough cap that gave the impression of blonde hair arranged into twin tails. A tag with runes was connected to its head.

Pop scanned them using the All-in-One and read their entries. The runes were caught too.

_Candeloro: The Witch of dress-up. She has an inviting nature. A kind-hearted Witch who dreams of ideal things. This Witch can't stand being lonely, and never lets visitors to her barrier escape._

CANDELORO DU POLIGNAC

_They always have quirks about their tendencies, don't they?_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _I just wonder how kind-hearted she really is._

_NAME UNKNOWN: The dress-up Witch's minions, whose task is to guide visitors. They invite humans who enter the Witch's barrier to her tea party. When they try to run away from her, the Witch ties their hands and feet together. They are precious friends of the Witch._

_Odd way of treating visitors,_ Pop thought, _And yet, I can't feel as though I know you…_ Her thoughts drifted back to the familiar's name. _EH? ! What do you mean 'name unknown'? !_

Pop decided to drop it altogether and focus on defeating the Witch. By the time her attention returned to it, the Witch was gone and her familiars had scattered. Activating her Dark energy, she grit her teeth and began to scan the area. One of the pink familiars leapt out and shot at her with a bow.

Pop moved to dodge, but the arrow cut her shoulder open. Wincing from the pain, she fired a ball of Dark energy at it. It struck true, killing the familiar. Immediately, something, like an accessory, flew off it and resumed the form of the Witch. At once, Pop launched several volleys at it. To her disbelief, the Witch weaved and danced around the blasts, evading each and every one of them.

It was time to close the gap and use melee. Pop summoned her broom and rushed the Witch, Fire energy blade active. The ribbon-like twin tail hair style the Witch had caught the blade and, despite burning it, threw Pop to the floor. She recovered quickly enough, but not before the Witch teleported off.

It was a game of cat and mouse. Pop had to scan which familiars had accessories and which didn't since that was what the Witch seemed to disguise itself as. To her dismay, the familiars that were in sight _all_ had accessories. Pop switched to the Water energy and used its tendril form to lash out at them and kill as many as possible. Her move worked, but not before she was grazed by a spear and another arrow. She thanked her timely reflexes for the fortune, but she couldn't take much more of this.

To her relief, the Witch reappeared. Pop made a gambit and decided to use both Fire and Sky in one blast. It had to work, for her sake. She took aim with her hose. And before she knew it, her hand had slid down from the end and down to a lower part; Pop looked as though she were holding it like a rifle…or a musket.

Gritting her teeth, Pop gave out a loud scream. "Take this! _Tiro…Finale!_"

Pop had no idea where that came from, but she didn't care right now. What mattered now was the blast; it was enormous. The fusion between Fire and Sky had caused the blast to become supersized, leaving no chance of being dodged. The Witch gave one last scream before disintegrating. She sounded _exactly _like Mami Tomoe…

Several runes appeared.

You would've been a good friend had it been any other way.

Moments later, the barrier faded.

* * *

The room was just as damaged at it was last time she was here. Pop deemed it wise to push out the flashbacks before they could force her to relive that brush with death. Right now, her attention was directed to the far door. And just like the door to the indoor swimming pool, this one had runes.

Pop scanned them.

Can you face your true feelings?  
I'll never allow that.  
Can you face your true feelings?  
Don't waste food. I'll kill you.

The red Ojamajo couldn't believe the runes. She questioned why it would ask such a deep question and then threaten to prevent it. She then remembered that a Witch's mind is not the same as a human's; such things are to be expected.

Bracing herself, Pop touched the knob. And just like before, Pop could not resist the surge of memories.

* * *

_She was eying them. Trying to see what they were going to do. Were they others? Were they also Puella Magi? One was Sayaka while the other was Madoka._

_Oh? One of them transformed? Just to take out a familiar? Idiot! Doesn't she know that letting familiars grow into Witches gets you more Grief Seeds? I'll just have to let her know the hard way then!_

_At once, she leapt into action. Using her spear, she deflected the swords her fellow was using to skewer the familiar with. The familiar cried and fled the scene._

"_Hey," she called, "What the heck are you two doing? !"_

_Did she have a name? Of course I did! I'm Kyoko Sakura! What did you think was my name? !_

"_Who are you?" called Madoka._

_Kyoko drew her spear once more and pointed it at Sayaka's neck, threatening to skewer it._

"_Can't you tell?" Kyoko rudely asked, "That's a familiar, not a Witch. Those don't drop Grief Seeds."_

"_But if I leave it alone," Sayaka replied, "It'll kill someone!"_

_Kyoko pulled out a fish-shaped sweet and took a bite out of it. "Yeah, you wait for it ot do that and grow into a Witch. That's how you get Grief Seeds." Kyoko withdrew her spear and returned it to its normal length. "You're killing the goose that lays the golden eggs here."_

_Sayaka and Madoka gasped at Kyoko's words. "Are you saying we should just watch the witches kill people? !" Sayaka asked angrily._

"_You have some really messed up ideas, kid." Kyoko scoffed. "Haven't you ever heard of the food chain? You should've learned it in school." Kyoko licked her lips and began approaching Sayaka and Madoka. "Witches eat weak humans. Then we eat those Witches." Kyoko emphasized her point by taking another bite out of her treat. "It's a law of nature. Just the order of things."_

_Suddenly, several ribbon-like shapes sprouted form the walls, cutting Madoka off from Sayaka._

"_That's…"Madoka said in horror._

"_You…You-re-!" Sayaka replied in rage._

"_Wait, don't tell me you're going to give me that line of crap about 'helping people' and 'justice'?" Kyoko scoffed, "Is _that_ really why you contracted with him?"_

"_What are you trying to say? !" Sayaka lashed out with her cutlass. Kyoko easily parried it with her spear._

"_Give it a rest, kid."_

_Sayaka gripped her cutlass with both hands and began putting more effort into her strike. Kyoko, taking another bite out of her treat, just stood there, easily keeping the sword back._

"_You think you're just playing around, don't you." Kyoko frowned. "What a nuisance."_

_Kyoko pushed back against Sayaka's blade and sent her back. She then turned her spear into a long jointed chain and gave a powerful blow to the blue-haired Puella Magi, sending her skidding down the alley they were in. Sayaka's blade landed dangerously close to her._

"_Sayaka-chan!" Madoka called in concern._

_Kyoko scoffed once more. "Now go cool your heels somewhere." Kyoko turned to walk away. She stopped when she heard Sayaka getting back up. "I don't get it. That should've put you out of action for months."_

* * *

Pop fell back from the memory, panting heavily.

She remembered wanting to actually kill Sayaka for her foolish idealism. She thought that letting the familiars go will get her more Grief Seeds. But why does she need them? Why would she need them? She's not a Puella Magi.

The red Ojamajo felt the memory recede once more. And so far, that one was the most brutal. Letting familiars kill people? And there were Puella Magi out there who would do such a horrible thing just to have extra Grief Seeds? Pop found that inexcusable…or at least, she tried. Something kept convincing her that it wasn't that harsh. What if those dead humans deser-?

Pop shook her head. She had to get those thoughts out of her mind. They weren't her. They never were and never will be. Pop told herself that repeatedly, but to no avail.

_What's going on with me?_ Pop asked herself, _Why are these thoughts here? Why are these Witches sending them to me?_

Pop had no time to figure out the reasons. Hands shaking, she opened the door and entered the barrier…

* * *

The barrier was comparable to a narrow passageway, like an alley but more bizarre, though the latter was to be expected. Fog floated everywhere, obscuring much of Pop's sight. Familiars marched aimlessly around her and through the barrier walls. In the middle of it all was the Witch herself.

The Witch wore a yukata and double-bladed spear. She rode a horse, but it wasn't as colorful as the Witch, being greyed out. The Witch had no head, but a flame like that of a candle.

Pop scanned the runes.

_OPHELIA: The Witch of wǔdàn. Her nature is abandonment or despair. A Witch who eternally wanders with hollow footsteps within fog. She can no longer remember what the horse that always accompanies her was._

_But why the mist?_ Pop mentally asked, _Or can you see through it?_

_NAME UNKNOWN: The wǔdàn Witch's minions, whose task is to march. They continually walk through the fog in an orderly fashion. The Witch typically doesn't have any reason to approach these familiars._

_She wants to be alone…Is this why she and the last Witch are in neighboring rooms? Because they contrast so much?_

Pop was about to put more thought on the subject when she saw a shot of flame coming from a dragon-headed familiar. Pop dove to evade it, but the flames licked her shoulder. She cursed her reflexes and launched a fire ball at the familiar. It replied with another gout of flame, overpowering hers and sending her flying back.

Pop stumbled back to her feet and immediately switched to Water mode. She fired blast of the energy at the familiar's gout of flame. The resultant steam thickened the fog, allowing Pop to rush in with her Dark energy blade and slice the familiar down the middle. She then made a dash towards the Witch and fired a Dark energy blast at it.

The blast struck true, and the Witch faded. Pop smiled, knowing that it was dead, but soon lost her sense of victory when the barrier failed to vanish. She heard what seemed to be a rearing horse. She spun around and immediately leapt out of the way, just barely avoiding being impaled in the Witch's spear.

Pop looked in disbelief. There were _three_ Witches there, all of them the same and approaching rapidly.

_There's only one Witch in the barrier. I can tell the real one from the fakes; the copies are illusions, which means their attacks won't hurt at all!_

Pop grinned at her assumption and rushed the Witch and its duplicates. They simply moved to the side and each launched their spears at the rose-haired Ojamajo. The first one struck, leaving a gash on her back. The second struck too, cutting open her arm. The third also struck, slicing an entire segment of her skin off her leg.

_E-eh? ! Even the fakes can hurt me?_ Pop was gasping from her wounds and the revelation. So much for being able to tell the difference. _I'll…I'll just have to take them all down then!_

Pop made a run for it, wasting no time in summoning her broom and mounting it. She switched to Sky and Fire and added Darkness to the mix.

"Take this! _Tiro Finale!_" Pop took aim and once again held the hose as though it were a rifle.

The Witch and its copies scattered, but one of them wasn't fast enough. Unfortunately, it was a copy, forcing Pop to take aim once more. She never got the chance; the Witch -or was it the copy?- transformed into a giant spear and launched itself at Pop. She had barely enough time to dodge as it was, but the other followed suit. Pop moved quickly, but it wasn't enough; her broom was hit, knocking her off balance and sending her straight down.

Pop remembered her battle with the dessert Witch and quickly used her broom to slow her fall. This time, there would be nothing soft to cushion her fall, and Pop swore she broke her leg again upon impact. Her trying to stand got a massive sting of pain, confirming her fears.

_It's okay. I can still use my-_

Pop's broom was knocked away by the Witch's spear. It trained the weapon against the red Ojamajo's neck and prepared to skewer her alive. She didn't have time to think; she whipped out the Water tendril and swung, slicing the blade off the pole. She continued waving it around, causing it to slice repeatedly into the Witch's body. It wasn't long before Pop stopped swinging randomly and began swinging in a more methodical way…like she had been when she met Sayaka for the first time.

The Witch screeched in pain with a voice much like Kyoko Sakura's before succumbing to the repeated strikes. Pop somehow knew this was the real one since the barrier started disappearing. Befroe it was gone completely, she noticed more runes.

Ya got me. Take care, kid.

* * *

The storeroom was the same as the last time she was there. Pop wasn't surprised; it was the same with the indoor swimming pool. And it'll be the same with the other rooms too. At least, that's what she _hoped_ would be the case.

Pop tried to get up, but her broken leg eliminated any possibility of that. She was stuck. She would never get far with this injury. And as the minutes ticked away, she feared that whatever had healed it last was too badly hurt to do it again. The thought caused her to pass out. She had failed.

Pop awoke with a start. To her surprise, her leg was healed. She counted her blessings and decided to return to the hallways until a thought struck her: What about the Grief Seed? She looked around and saw it, perfectly balanced on its needle-like point. She picked it up and pocketed it. She then recalled the other room and realized she had forgotten about that Grief Seed. The red Ojamajo feared what the Shadow Ojamajos might do with them, so she wasted no time in getting back to the swimming pool and grabbing the back gem.

She gave her thanks to whoever healed her again before heading out.

_I'm going to have to be more careful from now on,_ thought Pop, _Sooner or later, whoever's healing me won't be able to do it anymore. _

After all was said and done, Pop made her way to the final room before the protected door. Its runes hadn't changed either, but the fear of another memory surge was still there. Swallowing hard and accepting the inevitable, Pop reached for the knob and braced herself. The surge washed came upon her like a ton of bricks.

* * *

_She was there by herself. Alone in the lit train station. Her ideals had been shattered, her dream was gone. What was there for her in this world?_

_Footsteps could be heard approaching, but they didn't draw her attention. It was Kyoko, but she did nothing to lighten her mood._

"_I finally found ya," Kyoko said, sitting down. She pulled out a can of chips and began snacking on the. "How long are gonna keep blowing off your friends?"_

"_Sorry to bother you," Sayaka replied. Her voice was very clearly laced with despair._

"_What's wrong? You're not acting like yourself."_

"_I just don't care anymore. What do I even care about anymore? Who do I want to protect?" Sayaka continued staring down. "I don't even know anymore."_

"_Hey." Kyoko stared with light confusion._

_Sayaka uncovered what she held in her hands. It was her Soul Gem, something was very wrong with it. Darkness was had spread all throughout its area, leaving its natural glow at almost nothing. Kyoko saw it and gasped in shock._

"_The balance of hope and despair is always zero," Sayaka said, "You said so yourself. I understand what you meant now._

"_I've saved plenty of people," Sayaka continued, "But in exchange, resentment and pain took root in my own heart." Sayaka continued eying her Soul Gem, practically radiating despair as she did. "I'm even hurting my dearest friend now."_

"_Sayaka," Kyoko started with shock and concern, "Are you-? !"_

"_As much as I wished for the happiness of one…Someone else must be equally cursed._

"_That's how the story of a Puella Magi goes…"_

_Tears began welling up in Sayaka's eyes. She turned towards Kyoko, causing a couple to fly off; one of them was going to land on her Soul Gem._

"_I've been…such a fool!"_

_The darkness in her Soul Gem was boiling._

_The tear landed on the Soul Gem…and everything went to hell._

_I've been such a fool!  
Look at me!  
Tempestoso Affettuoso_

* * *

Pop screamed in agony as she fell to the floor. Never had she felt so much grief and despair. Never had she experienced so much pain. Never had she seen such suffering.

The red Ojamajo continued to writhing, trying desperately to get the horrible memory out of her head. But the memory refused to budge, lingering with her other surface thoughts and forcing them to the back of her mind.

_SAYAKAAAAAAAAAAAA! ! !_

That scream. It belonged to Kyoko. Somehow, that gave her the strength to fight back and get it out of her head.

That did the trick. Pop slowly stumbled back to her feet. The intensity of that memory wasn't like any of the others before it. Was this how Puella Magi were? Was this the true form of their role? Was this their final collective fate?

Pop wasn't sure.

Reluctantly, she opened the door and entered the barrier…

* * *

It was an endless stone hallway. That was all there was to the barrier. Pop tread carefully, not knowing when or where the Witch or her familiars could strike. To her relief, there weren't any alcoves where they could be hiding at.

She quickly noticed that the walls were adorned with posters. Like almost all words in barriers, the messages were printed in runes. Pop glanced at them in, hoping for clues.

Kyosuke Classic Concert  
Osaka 3/3 25:25  
Tokyo ¾ 25/55

The runes immediately below were in a different style. They seemed like they were made using musical notes.

Con amore

Pop put her hand to her chin in thought. Why was there a reference to love on these posters? Was the Witch holding a concert out of love for someone else? Did these Witches even feel love?

Suddenly, Pop realized the All-in-One wasn't in her hand. Frantically, she looked for other runes. She wanted to see if she somehow read and translated the runes without using the device. To her fortune, she found a few; she looked over them carefully.

Schicksal Hope

Pop's eyes went wide. Somehow, she had gained the ability to read and translate the runes unaided. But that couldn't be right. It shouldn't even be possible. She didn't study them, and even if she wanted to, she couldn't have been able to in the first place. She knew of no Puella Magi other than Kada nor if they even knew anything about the runes. She did not know of these Witches either. She didn't think they would be interested anyway.

Pop felt it should've been a boon to her. Instead, she felt as though her humanity was slipping away. Was any of this worth it? Was she really fighting for her friends…or herself? Why did she really want to save them? Was it because she had to? Or was it because she wanted them to owe her? Just like Kyosuke when she used her wish to heal his crippled hand-

Pop furiously shook her head. She doesn't know Kyosuke or any Kyosuke for the matter. She never made a wish to heal anyone. She knew she could heal others with her magic, but then it would just transfer the wounds to her. And yet, she saw herself healing her own injuries with her own arguably music themed magic. But it was blue-

Pop slammed her head into the wall.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Pop shouted repeatedly, punctuating each shout with another slam. "Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT! STOP IT! **STOP IT!**"

Finally, Pop broke down and collapsed, allowing the tears to stream out. She had fallen too far. She could not get back up. Trying wasn't an option for fear that she would just fall faster and further.

Some of the posters fell from walls. Pop gave quick glances at them and saw that they had runes on their backs.

Look at me.  
Look at me.  
Look at me.  
Look at me.  
Look at me.  
Look at me.  
Look at me.

Pop averted her eyes. The Witch clearly wanted attention. _His_ attention. But the position of the posters gave another meaning to it all. She didn't want to admit anything, even when it could've saved her from this fate. Once more, Pop burst into tears. The memories she felt. They were from the Witches she had faced and suffered surges from. Or rather, they were from their lives as Puella Magi.

Puella Magi eventually turn into these monsters and cause suffering for others. Taking it all out on those they used to protect. And then their minions escape to cause more harm, spreading their kind like a plague and causing so much despair and suffering. Their hopes and wishes backfired and their curses and despair were born in their place.

She calmed down, her eyes red from the outburst. She felt around her forehead and looked at her glove.

It had a splotch of blood on it.

Pop knew what she had to do. Even if it was for nothing, even if she would be hated for it, she still had to save her friends. And to do so, she had to get through more of the mansion and take out these Witches. At once, she began trekking down the hallway, intending to defeat this Witch. Intending to set her free from this torment.

It had been a few minutes. Pop stared at the door she had come to. It was red and unimposing, but Pop had a bad feeling about what lay beyond it. Hesitantly, she opened it up and went through.

This new hallway had something like aquariums lining the walls. But instead of fish, there were memories. Broken and disjoined memories from Sayaka's past. Madoka, Mami, Kyoko, and Homura were there. And so were others, including Hitomi, Kyosuke, Sayaka's parents, and a girl in her class that seemed poor. At the same time, music could be heard; it carried a sorrowful tone but was being played loudly and angrily.

Pop continued looking at the memories. Nothing like this was ever present in other barriers, so that meant that this Witch held these close to her heart.

"But why?" Pop asked, "Why is it just you who's-"

Pop heard the sound of a door slamming. She turned and saw the door to the other hall sealed shut. At the same time, the memories blinked out of existence, causing the room to go dark. She got the feeling that she had been spotted and braced herself accordingly. She felt herself being pulled towards the source. As she got closer, the music got louder, until finally, she was in a massive room. The Witch's inner sanctum.

The ceiling was lined with red seats that were upside down. Familiars sat on chairs, arranged into an orchestra and playing nothing but the violin. They all looked human, except for their spectral look. The only one not playing an instrument was the conductor. The music they played sounded as though they had been playing it for an eternity. Musical notes snaked through the air like currents.

In the center was the Witch herself. She was a gigantic mermaid clad in armor, grotesque in appearance. Three hollow eyes stared menacingly at Pop underneath a crown. A pink ribbon could be seen just under her head and a massive sword was held in her hand.

Pop scanned the Witch and read the resultant entries.

_OKTAVIA VON SECKENDORFF: The mermaid Witch; it is her nature to fall in love. Looking for the feeling that moved her so long ago, she moves with the entire concert hall. Her fortune only turns under the weight of memories and no longer moves toward the future. Nothing will reach her any longer. She will come to know nothing more. She simply allows no one to disturb her minions' playing._

_This is what drives Sayaka now?_ Pop wondered, _Her world was shattered, and this is the remnants of it._

_HOLGER: The mermaid Witch's minion, whose duty is to perform. Several of them form a hollow orchestra that continually plays music for the Witch. People who listen to their music for too long will lose their soul. This orchestra exists only for its Witch; to her, the orchestra is everything._

_Her entire world._ Pop looked down in pity. _All Puella Magi suffer greatly. And their sacrifices are ultimately in vain, forcing more of them to make more sacrifices._ Pop shook her head. _If I do nothing, then her minions will take my soul. If I attack, then the Witch will make an attempt on my life…and she can't be reasoned with. It's a lose-lose situation, but I can still survive and save this Witch from her despair!_

Pop got out her hose and used the Sky blade, adding the Dark energy to give more solidity to it and extend its reach even further.

"I will…I will set you free…Sayaka," Pop said with determination.

A shape like a melting shadow appeared, vanishing just as quickly as it appeared. And then the Witch raised its sword. Immediately, giant spoked wheels appeared in the air. Pop summoned her broom and took flight just as the wheels were sent hurtling in her direction. She deflected the first wave easily enough and went in close for melee.

It became a furious exchange between swords. Pop's extended Sky/Dark blade against Oktavia's giant sword. She put up a good fight, but the Witch proved to be her superior and sent her flying to the ground. The red Ojamajo righted herself in time and quickly dodged another swing. It proved to be an error on her part; in a flash, Pop was knocked to the ground by a stray wheel. There was continued getting struck, knocked side to side by the continuous barrage.

Somehow, she regained her footing and began slicing or deflecting the wheels before taking back to the skies and re-engaging the mermaid Witch. Just like last time, the Witch proved herself the superior and knocked Pop back to the ground, stunning her. She then lunged forward, reaching down with her outstretched hand. Pop rolled out of the way but had to drive her sword into the Witch's hand to stop it from grabbing her.

"Is that all you can do?" Pop asked, "Show me some more! Show me your pain!"

The Witch raised both arms. Immediately, a great number of wheels appeared in the air. She pointed her sword at Pop, causing the wheels to hurtle towards her. Pop evaded some of them while slicing through others before once again being struck to the floor. And then, just like that, the Witch swung her blade down with as much power as she could muster. Pop rolled out of the way just in time, but the damage had already been done. The entire floor collapsed and everything in the sanctum –Witch, Pop, and familiars—fell into another sanctum beneath it.

This new sanctum looked just like the one above, but the seats were blue and the lighting was dimmer. There was no music there whatsoever. Pop looked around and saw a figure standing in the distance. He wore a black suit and held a violin. She debated about approaching him, but a closer look revealed that he too was a familiar.

The Witch still towered over her, but it had mellowed out and was no longer attacking furiously. Pop looked at her in pity.

"You want it to end, don't you?" Pop asked. She gripped her blade tightly and added Fire energy to it. "Gomennasai."

Pop mounted her broom once more and took aim. There was a massive flash…and the Witch was no more.

Several runes appeared.

Your ideals are yours. Use them well and you will get far.

After Pop read them, the barrier vanished.

* * *

The room pop was now in was quite obviously a music room, filled with various instruments. Several had been overturned, as though a severe wind had blown through, but the rest weren't even fazed. The room was fitting, considering the theme of the Witch involved music.

A slow clap coming from behind broke Pop out of her stupor.

"Well done, Light Pop," came the voice of Shadow Onpu, "You actually beat this one? And without any of our help?"

Pop turned around and faced the Shadow. "You wouldn't have even harmed it," she retorted, "Those Witches resist your magic."

"Is that so?" Shadow Onpu smiled. Pop saw the anger behind it. It became even more apparent when the Shadow Ojamajo pulled out a shotgun. "Funny. I heard conventional weaponry works pretty well against them. Care to volunteer? !"

Pop dove out of the way just before Shadow Onpu pulled the trigger. Immediately, the piano she stood before had a huge hole blown into it, scattering wood splinters everywhere.

"Hmph! Lucky," Shadow Onpu muttered. She reloaded the shotgun and searched for Pop.

"If it's about Shadow Momoko," Pop began from her hiding spot, "Then I can tell you I regretted my ruthless behavior on the spot."

"Urusai!" Shadow Onpu fired her shotgun once more. This time, a drum was blown apart. To her chagrin, Pop wasn't behind it. "You can run, but you can't-!"

Suddenly, Pop sprung from her hiding spot behind the second drum and lashed out with her Water tendril. It struck true and Shadow Onpu's shotgun was sliced clean in half, leaving it useless. The Shadow winced and drew her elongated butcher knife.

"Good thing I always carry an extra wea-" Shadow Onpu began. She was cut off by Pop slicing the knife off the handle with her Dark energy blade. "Seriously? !"

"You're no match for me," Pop said darkly.

Shadow Onpu retreated to the wall. She smirked when she noticed a small shadow. "This isn't over." Shadow Onpu shot Pop a warning glance as she vanished into the shadow.

"I'm not finished with you yet!" Pop yelled. She fired a blast of Dark energy into the shadow, blowing Shadow Onpu out and onto the floor. Pop switched it to shadow mode and began sucking Shadow Onpu into the Vac-Drive.

"You can't!" Shadow Onpu shouted in horror, "I promised Shadow Momo-chan I'd save her!"

"Too bad." Pop approached the now-fear stricken Shadow , magnifying the suction on her and dragging her in at an accelerating pace. "You and the rest of them had this coming from the beginning. I'm just trying to save my friends!"

"Then we're on the same page! I'm trying to save Shadow Momo-chan because she's my friend!" shadow Onpu pleaded, "Don't you get it?" shadow Onpu used her magic to create a tether attached to the wall and held on tight. "NONE OF US WANTED TO REALLY DO THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

"Then why? Why did you do it anyway? !"

"BLACK QUEEN-SAMA PUT US UP TO IT!" Shadow Onpu was just barely hanging on now. The tether was beginning to snap. "SHE MADE US DO IT!"

"That's a lie and you know it!" Pop shouted, "If you didn't want to do it this much, then why didn't you leave and go turncoat? !" Pop tightened her grip even more, nearly cracking the hose in the process. "You all wanted to do this! And for that there's no forgiveness!"

And at those words, Shadow Onpu's tether snapped, pulling her toward the hose at a breakneck pace. Time seemed to slow down for both of them as the moment of truth had arrived. Nothing else happened.

"Gommennasai…Shadow Momo-chan," Shadow Onpu said sadly just before vanishing into the Vac-Drive.

No sooner did the Shadow fall did a key hit the ground with a loud clang. Pop picked it up.

"I bet I know where this goes!" Pop said with a mixture of dread and hope.

The rose-haired Ojamajo wasted no time in returning to the locked door. She had little time to ponder Shadow Onpu and found less sympathetic when compared to Shadow Momoko. In the end, the thought never occurred to her…that Shadow Onpu may have been right. What did occur to her was that the music room was the same room where all the arti-ghosts were eaten by a lone familiar, causing her to realize that this Witch wasn't the original; it was a clone formed from one of its familiars. And the same could be said for the others too.

* * *

The Shadow Ojamajos sat at their seats around their table. Two chairs were empty.

"So," Shadow Aiko began, "Shadow Onpu-chan and Shadow Momo-chan have fallen?"

"I'm afraid so, Shadow Ai-chan," Shadow Hana replied.

"Oh relax! They're not dead! They're just trapped in a really small bag right about now," Shadow Pop retorted,"Though it's probably for the best; Shadow Momo-chan didn't come back with us and Shadow Onpu-chan went after her alone despite knowing full well what Light Pop could do."

"Can it!" Shadow Aiko shouted, "If you think you can do better, then why not go yourself? !"

"Because she's _sooo_ much tougher than we are," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "Seriously, I have to agree somewhat with Shadow Pop." Shadow Hazuki straightened her glasses. "That was pretty stupid on Shadow Onpu-chan's part, even with a shotgun and a knife."

"None of that matters," Shadow Doremi spoke up, "Shadow Onpu-chan had the key to that kitchen. So now Light Pop's going to find out what happened to our Light Halves. "She then glanced at Shadow Pop and then at the wall behind her. "At least, _almost_ all of our Light Halves…"

"Well, the good news is is that Light Pop took those jewels from that chest," Shadow Hazuki pointed out. She then tapped the table and used a spell. In moments, a map of the mansion appeared. It was much like the holo-grid at the Magic Research Center, though it was of a weaker quality. "With those jewels in Light Pop's possession, we can track her our magic and this map!"

"Except for the barriers those Witches hide in," Shadow Pop deadpanned., "Seriously, Onee-chan? ! Why put _those_ things into the plan? !"

"Black Queen-sama wanted something to threaten Majo Kai with," Shadow Doremi replied, "She wanted me to go for overkill and those were the perfect things to use."

"Well, they hide Light Pop from our surveillance," Shadow Aiko retorted, "How f**king brilliant! Allow Light Pop a means of hiding! Next time, let's just GIVE HER A MASTER KEY SO SHE CAN OPEN ANY DOOR AT WILL!" Shadow Aiko fumed angrily at Shadow Doremi. "Idiot!"

"Even though such a key was never made?" Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "Try again, Shadow Ai-chan."

"Enough!" Shadow Doremi said, "Light Pop is out there and has likely taken back several of the Medallions we stole." Shadow Doremi gave each of them a look of worry. "If you try to fight her, make sure you can gain an advantage. For all of our sakes."

"Agreed," the other Shadow Ojamajos replied.

"Though I'd like for us to wait and see if our 'secret weapons' could beat her first," Shadow Hazuki said sinisterly.

"Great!" Shadow Pop said sarcastically, "I was hoping to double team Light Pop with shadow Hana-chan next."

All of them sighed. This was getting out of hand. Pop was more determined than they had hoped and had unwittingly brought out the beast in her. And now that beast was coming for them, one by one.

* * *

Shadow Onpu grumbled. Then again, she would be since she was trapped in a small bag filled with other wraiths. The only thing keeping it from being a nightmare was that fact that Shadow Momoko was there. Her presence made it worse in that the purple-haired Shadow couldn't bear to be in before the yellow-haired Shadow.

"Shadow Onpu-chan?" Shadow Momoko squeaked. Shadow Onpu refused to listen, content with silently mumbling to herself in her failure. "It…It doesn't matter that you didn't save me."

"I failed…I failed…I failed…" Shadow Onpu mumbled quietly, "I failed…I failed…I failed…"

"What matters is that you gave it your all!" Shadow Momoko squeezed past the Snow Dress and a Blue Shaker to get to Shadow Onpu. She winced as the yellow Shadow got closer. "Do…Do…you want to…know what I think of that?"

Shadow Onpu continued to mumble to herself.

"I think…I think you are very brave doing that."

"Eh?" Shadow Onpu grunted, "But I-"

Shadow Momoko shook her head. "Even if you failed, I'm alright. You came to save me anyway. When the others didn't." Shadow Momoko wrapped her arms around Shadow Onpu. "And when I was trapped in Kada's deck, the others told me you were the one who was the most ruthless and dedicated to finding and saving me." Shadow Momoko felt a tear fall onto her arm. "Shadow Onpu-chan…watashiha anata wo aishi omou…"

Shadow Onpu had no idea what to say. Instead she let her body do as it pleased and embraced Shadow Momoko. It went on for a good several minutes

"Ok, you can let me go now," Shadow Onpu said sheepishly.

"I would, but I can't," Shadow Momoko replied, "I used up all my free room to get to you."

Indeed. There wasn't enough room left in bag for them to go to. Both of their faces went red with embarrassment.

"As long as none of us are complaining…" Shadow Onpu said.

* * *

Pop stood before the door. She was in the dining room and preparing to enter what she thought was the kitchen. She pulled out the key she got from Shadow Onpu and inserted it. A resounding click told her everything she needed to know. She turned the knob and opened the door...

* * *

**A/N: I can confirm that Pop is getting more than just memories from the memory surges; she is also getting personality traits and skills that the Witches had back when they were Puella Magi. It also explains why Pop can suddenly read runes now.  
**

**The flashback sequences used are actual scenes from the main series. They and Puella Magi Madoka Magica are copyright Studio SHAFT.**


	9. Fate of the Others

**A/N: None up here. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Fate of the Others-

* * *

Pop inserted the key and twisted it. A resounding click told her everything she needed to know. Taking a deep breath, the red Ojamajo turned the supernaturally cold knob and opened the door.

The room had the exact same chill that the knob had. It was dark, but that was to be expected. Stoves, ovens, and tables were present, confirming that it really was a kitchen.

_I guess those Shadow Ojamajos knew where to put which rooms after all…_ Pop thought.

Her eyes adjusted to the darkness. In an instant, Pop took a step back in surprise and shock.

The kitchen looked exactly like the kitchen that the Mahou Dou had back when it was a sweet shop. The tables, ovens, and stoves were all the same as back then. The only true difference was the presence of a door that was not in the original Sweet House Mahou-Dou. It had runes shifting on it.

Just then, Pop got a whiff of something. It smelled sweet, like cookies. And then she noticed the source: The oven. It had been running the entire time without Pop's knowledge.

"I was beginning to wonder when you would get here," a familiar voice said. It sounded ghostly. Pop quickly turned and found the source: It was not an arti-ghost, but it had the vibes of one. No, not "it", but "she". He rback was turned, but there was no mistaking her identity. She turned to face Pop. "Pop-chan- Whoa! Oh my god!"

Momoko dropped something in surprise. "Wh-what happened to you?"

"Long story, Momo-chan," Pop replied. She felt very uneasy around her older friend. "Though I could ask you the same thing."

Momoko had a yellow glow, complete with glowing yellow eyes. She was transparent and made no sound even as she walked around the kitchen. She wore her old patisserie uniform, albeit just as spectral as she was. There was no mistaking it.

Momoko was a ghost.

_But that can't be right!_ thought Pop, _Her body isn't trailing off into wisps! _

And yet there she was, walking silently and staring at Pop through her glowing eyes.

Momoko jumped in alarm and quickly ran to the oven. She opened it and took out a tray. Cookies were on it. And it wasn't long before she had set it on the counter, where she pulled out a patisserie poron. She sprinkled the magic on top of it.

Pop took this time to scan her and at least try to get a description. It worked, and Pop quickly found her entry.

_Momoko Asuka: One of the seven famous Ojamajos. She is good at baking due to her apprenticeship under the late Majo Monroe and used this skill to aid Doremi, Hazuki, Aiko, and Onpu with their attempts to impress the Witch Senate members who did not wish for them to become full-fledged witches. She isn't vulnerable to the light like regular fiends; you will have to use her weakness to remove her resistance. Her weakness is unknown._

Pop's heart skipped a beat. _Eh? It's talking like I have to fight her!_ Pop shook her head. _Why would I _need_ to fight her? She's my friend!_

"Whew! The cookies are ready!" Momoko called. She placed them on a napkin and the placed it on the table. "They're gonna get cold, Pop-chan! Especially in here!"

"Oh!" Pop said, snapping out of her stupor. She went over to the table and gave a hungry look at the cookies. They had red flags on them. "Why the odd colored shapes? Aren't they a little atypical of you?"

Momoko giggled slightly. "I wanted to try something new, so I decided to use flags!"

Pop was about to take a bite out of one when a thought struck her. "Momo-chan? Can you tell me how you became a ghost? I'm a little curious."

"Well, you do look like you've been through a lot," Momoko replied. A bit of stuttering could be heard. "Maybe you could tell me?"

_You have no idea, _thought Pop, "Tell me your side first and we'll call it even?"

"Oh, uh, Eh? Y-you wouldn't believe me even if I, uh, told you!" Momoko stuttered, giving a cheeky laugh.

Pop put the cookie back down. Something was not right here. Momoko would not have used that tone when she said that. And she would've said so right away.

She had made it even more evident that she was hiding something.

Pop turned and began trying to contemplate what was going on. Why was Momoko insisting on not telling? Why was she so off? It didn't make any sense.

"Uh, Pop-chan!" Momoko called, "Those cookies won't stay warm for much longer, so you better eat them right now!"

_Now she's insisting on me eating the cookies?_ Pop thought, _She would never do that. She would only offer the cookies and wouldn't press anyone into eating them!_

Pop glanced at the All-in-One, hoping that there were more entries to Momoko. The screen had a message instead.

_Don't eat them! They're poisoned! Pop-chan!_

_Eh?_ Pop's eyes went wide. The message on the screen was frantic, as though someone was trying to warn her. The All-in-One never gave any like this.

_Pop-chan!_

_Momo-chan?_

Pop turned back to Momoko. "Gomen ne, Momo-chan. But I can't eat these right now."

"Eh? !" Momoko gasped, "But I made these especially for you! How can you turn them down?"

"Because you wouldn't just make these for just one person," Pop replied defiantly, "You would've made these for _everyone_!

"And I don't trust these cookies either! Something tells me they're not safe to eat!"

Momoko's jaw fell open. She was definitely shocked. But then her mouth curled into a smile, but not the same smile that Pop had seen so many times already. This smile carried malicious intent. Her glowing eyes now showed the light of madness.

Momoko's uniform reversed itself, but instead of changing into the Ojamajo's third uniform, it changed into the one they used nowadays. The ghostly yellow Ojamajo pulled out her jewelry poron. At the same time, Pop could feel the chill in the room intensify.

"All I wanted was to give you a taste of the joys of being a ghost," Momoko said, "But now I guess I'll have to do this the hard way, won't I?"

Pop took a step back and glanced back at the All-in-One.

_For the love of god, Pop-chan! Get out of the way! I'm about to send stuff flying your way! Please! Pop-chan!_

"It'll be over soon!" Momoko said cheerfully, "Then you can be one of us!"

Just as the All-in-One warned, pots, pans, utensils, the tray, and even the kitchen sink lifted up off the counters. Pop felt her legs shaking from the horror of it all.

"Momo-chan! Stop this!" Pop called, "This isn't you! Please!"

Momoko blinked a few times and then smiled once more. "Actually, it is me! And I've never felt better in my life!"

Pop pointed her flashlight at Momoko. The ghost of her friends stopped and burst into a giggling fit.

"Silly Pop-chan! Did you really believe a simple flashlight would work on me? Those wraiths I can understand, but come on! You're smarter than that!"

_Wraiths? That's what the arti-ghosts are really called? Wraiths?_

_Pop-chan! Just get out of here! Save yourself! Please!_

Pop suddenly felt her fear vanish. Her lips curled into a smile of their own, this one giving hints of aggression.

"Bring it on!" Pop said defiantly.

_Pop-chan! NOOO!_

"Kekekeke…Ok, Pop-chan!" Momoko giggled. She then burst into insane laughter as she sent everything including the kitchen sink at Pop.

Pop stood her ground.

_Pop-chan…_

In seconds, the items being thrown at her were sliced to pieces, baffling Momoko. When the dust settled, Pop was standing there with a tendril of water coming out of her hose. She had sliced the weapons up much like she had done in the past- No. Just like how Kyoko would slice things with her spear.

Momoko stood there, dumbfounded. "Nani yo? How did you-" Momoko shook her head, "So you got good at fighting all of a sudden. It won't save you!"

Momoko gestured towards the table. It lifted up and began hurtling toward Pop. But the red Ojamajo was ready.

"_Tiro…Finale!_" Pop shouted.

At once, she fired a blast of Fire and Sky energy at the table. In moments, it was blown to smithereens. However, the remnants of the blast continued, passing through Momoko's spectral form and blowing a massive hole in the wall. Momoko was surprised.

_Sugoi! Where did you learn that at?_

"I see it's not just the water medallion you've found," the yellow Ojamajo said, "But even elemental energy doesn't work on me! Just give up and face reality already!"

_She's right,_ Pop thought, _Unless I can find her weakness, she'll eventually beat me._ Suddenly, a light bulb went off in her head. _But maybe I can-_

"What do you think your weakness is, Momo-chan"? Pop asked.

Momoko grinned maliciously. "Now why would I tell you that? Isn't that what-" Her eyes went wide. "So that's how you found out about my poisoned cookies! Well, I'll just have to _do_ something about it!"

"Oops," Pop muttered.

"Perutan Petton Palalila Pon!" Momoko chanted, "Pin Pop-chan to the door!"

Pop was caught off guard by the spell. In an instant, she found herself stuck to the door to the dining room, unable to move much outside of her arms. She struggled furiously.

"It's no use, Pop-chan," Momoko taunted as she _floated_ over to the red Ojamajo, "I've got you right where I want you." Momoko punctuated her point by slapping the All-in-One out of Pop's hand. Pop caught only one word: "Majo". "It'll all be over soon. Just hold still, would you?"

Pop felt a massive wave of cold wash over her. She then felt the area around her heart grow cold. She looked down and saw that Momoko's hand had passed through her. She felt her clench her fist- No. She wasn't clenching her fist, but _grabbing_ a hold of something.

Momoko then began pulling out whatever she had grabbed. There wasn't much out yet, but Pop could tell exactly what it was: It was her soul. Immediately, the red Ojamajo hastened her struggling.

"This'll be far less painful if you just hold still, Pop-chan!" Momoko chided, "Why do you have to struggle so much anyway? It's not like you'll be losing anything."

Pop grit her teeth. "I've already lost too many things I hold dear tonight! I'm not losing anything else!"

And with that, the red Ojamajo activated the Dark energy and used its blade form. She then sliced off the part of her soul that Momoko had already pulled out. Momoko flew back from exerting too much force while the part of Pop's soul that wasn't sliced off retreated back into her.

"Oh!" Momoko groaned, "What am I supposed to do with this! It's only a small part! I need the whole thing!"

Pop felt her breathing intensify. "I won't let you turn me into a ghost…Momo-chan!"

"But it's so fun being a ghost! We have it all!" Momoko pleaded, "Just give it a chance!"

A thought clicked in Pop's head. "And what would Majo Monroe say if she found you doing this! ?"

Suddenly, Momoko fell silent. She still held the chunk of Pop's soul in her hand, but her expression made it clear that she was trying to process Pop's words. She finally managed to speak up.

"M-M-M-Majo Mo-Monroe! ? Demo ne, I, uh, eh," Momoko stuttered.

Pop took a gamble and shined her flashlight on Momoko. In an instant, she was stunned. At the same time, the spell keeping her pinned vanished altogether. Shaking off the bewilderment, Pop began activated the Vac-Drive.

"Wha- NO!" Momoko screamed.

Immediately, she fled from the Vac-Drive's suction. And just like with the arti-ghosts –or wraiths, as Momoko called them-, the suction zeroed in on her and caused her to drag Pop around the kitchen. She yanked hard repeatedly, trying to drop her resilience as fast as possible. And then she yanked too hard, allowing Momoko to break free and dropping Pop to her back. The yellow Ojamajo gave a look that screamed "I'm not amused!"

"That…was a low move, Pop-chan…" Momoko seethed, "That's it. No more Ms. Nice Ghost!" Momoko whipped out her poron. "Perutan Petton Palalila Pon!"

Pop scrambled back to her feet and made a dash for the All-in-One. She made it just before a beam of yellow magic could destroy it. At once, she looked to see if it had any more messages.

_Majo Monroe won't leave me vulnerable now. You'll have to find someone else who is similar! Please!_

"I will, Momo-chan," Pop replied, "And I think I know who to mention!"

_ Arigatou. Good luck!_

Pop turned around long enough to see the now-fuming Momoko preparing to blast her with her magic.

"You know, I was just going to give you a firsthand feel of how good it felt to be a ghost," Momoko said through her teeth, "But since you're gonna act like that, I think I'll just _kill_ you instead!"

"Majo Monroe loved you, Momo-chan," Pop retorted, "And Majo Vanilla admired you through her! Are you going to betray her, Momo-chan? You know what'll happen if you do!"

Once again, the words struck like ice-cold daggers. Momoko froze in the shock of it all.

_Last chance! _Thought Pop, _Better make this count!_

Pop shined the flashlight on Momoko, stunning her once again. Immediately, she began sucking her in.

"Wha- NOT AGAIN!" Momoko screamed.

This time, Pop made sure not to yank too hard. Momoko still put up a fight, but the red Ojamajo wasn't letting go this time. With the earlier attempt adding to Momoko's exhaustion, Pop was having an easier time. Finally, Pop gave one final yank, and immediately Momoko tripped up and began to be sucked into the Vac-Drive, screaming.

"No! NO! **NO!** YAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!" Momoko's scream was cut off just as she vanished into the Vac-Drive.

In that instant, the lights came on, revealing the mess she and Pop had made of the place. The rose-haired Ojamajo looked at the All-in-One's screen again.

_Arigatou, Pop-chan! ThankyouThankyouThankyouThan kyou! But I have something to tell you. Everyone else. They're ghosts too! You have to save them! Please! Especially Ai-chan! Please! I know what I said while attacking you, but being a ghost is horrible! We're all suffering- Why is Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko in here- Nevermind! Please! You have to-_

The message cut off right then and there. Pop looked at it in despair.

_The All-in-One can connect to the minds of ghosts and show their thoughts as messages,_ Pop mentally surmised, _But it doesn't last long and cannot allow for telepathy._ Pop wiped a tear from her eye. _Momo-chan was trying to tell me something, but because of that limitation, I couldn't read the rest of it!_

Pop kicked over a chair in anguish.

_At least I can tell Majo Toron of this. That much I can do. And don't worry, Momo-chan. I'll save Ai-chan!_

Pop activated the transceiver on the All-in-One. Majo Toron answered it.

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron called, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Pop said. A hint of sadness was evident in her voice. "I have some bad news."

Pop explained everything to Majo Toron, up to and including how she had to fight Momoko and the All-in-One's ability to read the minds of ghosts. Majo Toron was shocked at the turn of events.

"It's worse than I thought," Majo Toron said gravely.

"But, there is a way to change them back, right?" Pop pleaded.

"Not without using magic to bring back the dead."

Pop bit her lip. That kind of magic was forbidden for a reason. Many a witch had died bringing back a loved one. Momoko even tried it on Majo Monroe, despite knowing full well what would've happened if she succeeded.

"There has to be another way!" Pop shouted.

"I'm afraid there isn't." Majo Toron got a thought. "If it's any consolation, you have proven that the powerful ghosts present are indeed the Ojamajos. Aiko vanished somewhere two rooms ahead of your location, so I bet she's waiting there for you."

Pop took a look at the door. The runes had not vanished since she got there. Then again, why would they? Pop hadn't killed the Witch yet. But with her new found skills and determination, it shouldn't be too hard.

"I'll go to where AI-chan is," Pop spoke up, "Momo-chan wanted me to save her and she's the closest."

"Very well. I'll keep a sharp eye out. Good luck!"

Majo Toron clicked off on her end. Pop did the same, faced the door, and gulped.

"I hate those memory surges," Pop muttered. She grabbed the knob and turned despite the rush of memories boring into her head. The door opened and Pop entered the barrier…

* * *

"Take this!" Pop shouted. She brought her Sky energy blade down on the Witch. She had long since read the runes in the barrier and her entry.

Uhrmann

_UHRMANN: The canine Witch, with a craving nature. She has taken the form of a dog in the vain hope of being loved by all. Humans who enter her barrier can't help but embrace her in concern. One hoping to defeat her can do so by feigning love._

_BARTELS: The canine Witch's minion, whose duty is interior design. They have no will and are simply mannequins who revolve in place. A canine Witch, unloved by anyone, was unable to create minions with free will._

The blade struck true, slicing the dog-like witch down the middle and causing the barrier to vanish. The area was the outside place that had the doghouse that Pop saw earlier. The red Ojamajo didn't bother to reminisce and simply wasted no time in retrieving the Grief Seed.

"One more down," Pop said, "Now I gotta go and save Ai-chan."

Pop checked her meters and gasped at how low her energy was.

"Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" chanted Pop, "Refill the meters!"

Energy from the Medallions flowed into the Vac-Drive, refilling Pop's supply and allowing her to brace herself better. She then mounted her broom and flew over the fence and into the graveyard beyond it.

It was everything she expected, right down to the tombstones and bent trees. She had seen it from the balcony above earlier that night, giving Pop a not-so-nice feeling of short term nostalgia. The supernatural chill that was present in the kitchen was here too, alerting Pop to Aiko's presence.

She wandered through the graveyard with the intent to find Aiko for what seemed like hours. The area was small, so Pop should've found her by now. She was about to leave when three wraiths appeared. They seemed to have skeletons inside their transparent bodies.

_Just what I need,_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _A slow ambush._

Pop dove to dodge and got behind a tree. She read the new entry.

_Gravesoil: A fiend animating a skeleton. It attacks by throwing bones and striking with its claws and uses the very skeleton it possesses to guard itself against light. The skeleton acts as an Earth-based core, leaving it vulnerable to Sky energy. Any fiend that has an Earth-based core can regenerate it without the use of the Earth Medallion. In effect, you have to be quick to defeat it._

_And I have just what it hates,_ Pop thought. She smiled as she got her hose ready and activated the Sky energy. She then burst out of hiding.

"Pameruka Raraku Laliloli Poppun!" chanted a familiar voice. And then three beams of blue magic struck the Gravesoils and knocked them down.

Pop looked to where the source was. Standing before the largest tombstone was Aiko herself. But she had a blue glow and glowing blue eyes, just as Momoko had a glow of her own. She was also transparent and made no noise when she moved about.

Pop scanned Aiko and read the entry.

_Aiko Senoo: One of the seven famous Ojamajos and one of Doremi Harukaze's closest friends. She is very athletic and is easily physically the most powerful Ojamajo. She is also a bit rude and has a bit of a temper, but will do everything to help her friends. She was one of the first three to become Majo Rika's apprentice. She isn't vulnerable to the light like regular fiends; you will have to use her weakness to make her vulnerable. Her weakness is unknown._

Pop stared at Aiko in worry and determination. _Deep down, I was hoping that you weren't really ghost, despite what Momo-chan and Majo Toron-san told me._ Pop perked back up when Aiko began approaching. _But I made a promise to Momo-chan and I will keep it!_

"Pop-chan! Thank goodness!" Aiko said in concern, "I thought ya'd be beaten to death by those wraiths!"

Pop shook her head. "Do you like being a ghost?" Pop asked gloomily.

"Uh, well, yes!" Aiko replied, "Demo ne, didn't you speak to Momo-chan yet?"

Pop took a step back. "You can drop the act, Ai-chan. I know you want to turn me into a ghost."

Aiko's eyes went wide in shock. Her lips then curled into a smile. The same smile that Momoko gave.

"I see you figured it out, Pop-chan. Ya always was pretty wise, after all." Aiko drew her poron. "So, shall we do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"I won't become a ghost." Pop took aim with her Vac-Drive. "I don't even deserve it…not after capturing Momo-chan."

The smile on Aiko's face vanished. Moments later, she balled up her fists and began breathing through her teeth.

"You. Did. WHAT? !" Aiko shouted.

"I had no choice, Ai-chan. She was trying to turn me into a ghost against my will. I then made a-"

"URUSAI!" Aiko's anger began causing the existing chill to intensify. "She only wanted to give you a taste of what it's like to be a ghost. And this is how you reply? !" The Gravesoils got back up just as Aiko began rising into the air. "Forget turning you into a ghost. I think I'll just kill you right here and now! And don't even try leaving." Aiko's smile returned even more unnerving than ever. "I've got that covered!"

A darkness spread all over the graveyard. Once it cleared, Pop found herself in a circular area surrounded by an endless expanse of gravestones. Pop looked at the All-in-One to see if Aiko was giving her messages. To her relief, the connection was still strong, allowing her to read what Aiko had to say.

_You shouldn't have revealed that ya save Momo-chan. Now I really can't hold myself back from hurting you. Gomennasai. I'm pretty sure ya can't hear me, but I want you to know that I'm not doing any of this willingly. I'm a prisoner in my own soul._

"I can't hear you, but I can still read you," Pop said reassuringly, "I'll find a way to defeat and save you, Ai-chan. If I don't, then I'll be letting Momo-chan down!"

Suddenly, Pop saw Aiko descending from the sky. But it wasn't quite Aiko. No, it was Aiko, but she had combined with the Gravesoils and turned them into some kind of armor for herself. The look of pure rage and murderous intent was as clear as day in her eyes.

Pop heard a beeping and saw that the entry for Aiko had expanded.

_Aiko Senoo –Fiend Armor-: Aiko has merged with three Gravesoil fiends and transformed them into a type of armor. This has given her increased resilience and an Earth-based core. Sky energy can weaken her, but it will not allow her to be sucked up. Her weakness will have to be discovered and used against her._

"Well then Pop-chan," Aiko seethed. Her voice had taken a demonic undertone. "How do _you_ want ot be killed?" Pop took aim with her hose. Aiko laughed mockingly at her. "You really think that that hose will work on me?"

"I gained a way to read thoughts, Ai-chan," Pop replied, "And you don't like being a ghost as much as you're forced to say."

_Eh? ! You can read my thoughts? YES! Pop-chan! You can make me vulnerable by blowing off my armor! But, eh, uh, I don't know how you can do that. Gomennasai! I wish I could help more!_

"Don't worry, Ai-chan. I have a way to blow them off." Pop once again took aim at Aiko.

"I already told you: Your hose won't work on me-"

Aiko was cut off by a blast of Sky energy. It did the trick and Aiko's armor was blown off, leaving her stunned. Pop immediately activated the suction.

"Eh? NO!" Aiko screamed.

At once, the blue Ojamajo began fleeing the suction, dragging Pop along for the ride. The red Ojamajo yanked periodically, drawing Aiko closer and closer. Pop was doing good until Aiko began chanting and fired a beam of magic at Pop, forcing the suction to end.

"I won't make this mistake again!" Aiko seethed, "You three. To me!" At once, the Gravesoils, which had reformed, spun around Aiko, restoring her armor and once more letting her resist Pop. "Try this on for size!"

_I'm about to try and impale you with spikes! You have to keep moving, Pop-chan! Please!_

Pop didn't have time to summon her broom. Aiko drove her bony claws into the ground. Moments later, massive earthen spikes sprung up. Pop managed to dodge them but suffered numerous scrapes.

"I'm not finished yet!" Aiko again drove her claws into the ground.

This time, spiked earthen tentacles sprouted and began trying to impale or wrap around Pop. The red Ojamajo used the Dark energy and sliced tentacles wherever possible while dodging others. Her movements were starting to get sluggish in that she wasn't able to get by with as few scrapes. She even got a rather deep cut on her arm.

Finally, Pop managed to summon her broom and take flight. Aiko pursued her and quickly slammed her bony fists into the red Ojamajo, knocking her off her broom and sending her plummeting to the ground. She landed with a thud and felt a limb or two snapping. She tried to get up, but her leg was again broken. She tried to move her arm, but it had been broken too. Aiko gave a toothy grin and charged the injured rose-haired girl.

_Pop-chan! Pop-chan! Get up! Please! Pop-chan!_

_I can't,_ thought Pop, _But I can_- "ARGGHHH!"

"Had enough yet?" Aiko taunted, "Too bad! I'm just getting warmed up!"

And with that, Aiko began slashing away at Pop. She then struck her with her fists and slammed her to the ground repeatedly. The wraith-armored Ojamajo picked Pop up and prepared a final blow.

"This is the end for you, Pop-chan!" Aiko smirked, "Have nice death!"

Suddenly, Pop blasted Aiko with another blast of Sky energy, knocking her armor off and stunning the blue Ojamajo.

_C'mon! Make this count!_ Pop once again activated the Vac-Drive. The suction zeroed in on Aiko.

"Eh? ! NO! NOT AGAIN!" Aiko screamed and began flying away from Pop.

Unfortunately, she was dragging Pop along as well, causing even more damage to her already. The red Ojamajo yanked as hard as she could, but her broken limbs complicated things and she was forced to let Aiko go. The blue Ojamajo turned back to Pop with a look of rage.

"Why you little-!" Aiko fumed. She was suddenly cut off and somehow stunned.

_You have to suck me in! Hurry! I can't hold myself back much longer! Pop-chan! Please!_

Pop nodded and quickly activated the Vac-Drive. Aiko broke free from her being stunned at that instant.

"No! NO! NO! I won't let you do this!" Aiko screamed.

She dragged Pop around the area, hoping to force her off. But this time, Pop's determination won out. With one final yank, Aiko tripped up, screaming as she vanished into the Vac-Drive.

_Pop-chan! Pop-chan! Are you okay? Pop-chan!_

_I'll be fine, Ai-chan. What matters is…you're saved._

_Pop-chan! If you're okay, then arigatou. I almost didn't think you could do it. Can you ever forgive me for doubting you? And yes, I'm with momo-chan now, but we can't really speak to each other. And why is-_

The message cut off then and there. Pop felt her strength leaving her. Moments later, she lost consciousness…

* * *

When Pop came to, she was back in the graveyard. She got up, quickly realizing she had been healed once again.

"Whew!" Pop panted, "I thought I was done for." She shook her head. "But that doesn't matter now. I saved Ai-chan-"

The transceiver began beeping. Pop answered it.

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron shouted, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Pop replied, "And I got AI-chan!"

"That's a relief." Majo Toron turned around and then turned back to the screen. "If I may, I'd like you to return to the Center. Shadow Ruka and I have made some developments that should prove useful in finished off the mansion."

"Ok!" Pop quickly shook her head. "But first, I'd like to bring something for you to study. I know it might not seem like anything, but it was made by magic and I think you should have a look at it."

Majo Toron sighed. "Very well. Just don't take too long."

"Hai!"

The transceiver shut off. Pop turned back to the large tombstone and saw a key and a coin at its base. The key was gold colored and had a diamond on the handle. The coin was brown and had a mark representing Earth. There was no mistaking it: The key would open a new area and the coin was the Medallion representing Earth. With high spirits, Pop left the graveyard and went back into the mansion.

Pop was back in the replica of Hazuki's room and standing before the ruined mirror room. She picked up the fallen knob and put it away before leaving.

_I want to know why these surges keep happening, _thought Pop, _If these knobs can allow this, then I want to know how to stop them!_

With those thoughts, Pop left the mansion for the Magic Research Center.

* * *

The five remaining Shadow Ojamajos were again seated at their table. They watched on their map as Pop left the mansion and vanished.

"Well, I'm out of ideas," Shadow Pop snorted, "She beat our secret weapon and even took another Medallion!"

"Oh, come on!" Shadow Aiko fumed, "It's not that bad! All we have to do is out maneuver her and take her by surprise!"

"Because those never fail, Shadow Ai-chan," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "This is bad. We lost two of the Light Ojamajos in less than twenty minutes." She straightened her glasses. "We need to think of something else besides these weak plans!"

"Or it's on our heads," Shadow Hana shuddered.

Shadow Pop smirked. "Since our secret weapon failed, I'd like to double tam her with Shadow Hana! It'll be easier than if we went against Light Pop one at a time!"

"You know the risks involved there, Shadow Pop-chan," Shadow Doremi interjected, "If Light Pop beats both of you, then what else can stop her?"

"I think I have a theory as to what makes Light Pop so resilient," Shadow Hazuki said.

"Oh really?" Shadow Aiko replied, "Care to explain?"

"Why, certainly." Shadow Hazuki's glasses gained their trademark glare.

"If it can be dealt with," Shadow Doremi began, "Then we better deal with it right now if we are to have a chance."

"Agreed." The remaining Shadow Ojamajos replied.

* * *

**A/N: Anyone who has been following the hints and has read "Sweetie's Mansion" will have seen the plot twist coming a mile away.**


	10. Doing in the Ghosts

**A/N: I will address plot holes that were in the last chapter and do something about them. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Doing in the Ghosts-

* * *

"When are you moving?" Majo Toron asked, "We don't have all night!"

She had been waiting for Shadow Ruka to make her move. The two were playing a board game. More specifically, they were playing chess. Shadow Ruka had lost three pawns, the queenside knight, the kingside bishop and rook, and the queen. Majo Toron had lost five pawns and her queenside bishop. The Shadow witch moved her pawn to the E-8 position and exchanged it for her queen. The inventive Witch then moved her own queen to the G-1 position.

"Checkmate," Majo Toron said, "Good game, Shadow Ruka."

Shadow Ruka groaned in annoyance but quickly sighed. "Good game, Majo Toron."

Majo Toron snapped her fingers. At once, the game, pieces and all, returned to its box and vanished in a puff of smoke.

"Well its official," Shadow Ruka began, "I'm bored with chess."

"You only lost one game," Majo Toron replied, "And it was to pass the time until Pop-chan-" Majo Toron was interrupted by Pop coming in through the door. "Speak of the devil."

"I'm back!" Pop called, "And I brought this too!"

Pop approached the two witches and handed Majo Toron the knob. The wheel-chair bound witch eyed it carefully.

"If you really believe it's enchanted in some way, then I'll examine it," Majo Toron said. Her eyes widened when she saw Pop. "P-Pop-chan!? Wh-what happened to you?!"

"Well, I did have to fight Ai-chan and Momo-chan," Pop reminded.

"We know that," Shadow Ruka retorted. She looked just as unnerved as Majo Toron. "Eeeh, you might have to look in a mirror just to see what Majo Toron's talking about."

"I already know: I have wounds and scars from fighting so much in the mansion. ESPECIALLY from Ai-chan-!"

"That's not what we're talking about, Pop-chan," Majo Toron said. She snapped her fingers and conjured a large, full-body mirror. "See for yourself."

Pop took off her Vac-Drive and went over to the mirror to see her reflection. What she saw made her gasp in shock.

She was right about the scars and injuries: Her right arm had a sealed-up gash running its length along with several cuts and scrapes. Her left arm wasn't nearly as bad, but the scratches were evident. Her torso had cuts in it too, which showed through the holes and tears that her uniform now had. Her left sleeve was completely gone, revealing a number of other scratches. Her legs only had a scrape or two while her face had a cut running down her left cheek. Her hair had drooped even farther, completely losing their characteristic wing-shape and hanging down like tattered ribbons.

None of the injuries were what shocked her. In reality, it was her face. She could've sworn she had aged at least twenty-thirty years just from the way she looked. Her hair even had a few barely-noticeable gray strands.

"B-b-b-but that can't be right!" Pop stuttered, "I shouldn't have aged like this from everything that's happened so far!" Pop buried her face in her hands. "The scars I can understand, but…" Pop collapsed to the floor and slammed her fist against it. "I can't face my boyfriends like this!"

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron called. Pop snapped out of her stupor and turned to face the inventive witch. "It might be a bit harsh, but maybe we can find out if you tell us what happened between now and the last time you were here?"

Pop nodded her head in agreement and began telling what happened, giving more details than what she had said while speaking via the All-in-One. She mentioned the fights against the elemental wraiths, the uncanny resemblance the kitchen and a certain room had to the Sweet House Mahou Dou and Hazuki's room, respectively, Momoko trying to take her soul and cutting a chunk off, Aiko merging with three more wraiths and nearly killing her, everything.

When Pop was finished, Majo Toron and Shadow Ruka were more than a little shocked. Neither of them knew too much about what had been going on aside from their own experiences and the knowledge they already had. Majo Toron finally shook her head and tried to give her best answer.

"If what you're saying is true, then Momo-chan taking a chunk of your soul is likely what caused you to age like this in the first place," Majo Toron surmised, "You didn't look any older than when I last saw you last time you were here."

"And if Momoko is still trapped in there," Shadow Ruka added, "Then so is that chunk of your soul."

"But I can't let them out!" Pop shouted, rising up off the floor, "How can we stop them from killing all three of us?"

Majo Toron clutched her chin in thought. Moments later, she smiled and snapped her fingers. "Eureka!"

"Eh?"

"We'll just turn them into something who's shape won't allow for attacking!"

"Like what?" Shadow Ruka asked sarcastically.

Majo Toron's smile vanished. "I…have no idea." She then shook her head. "Either way, they'll likely be conscious the entire time they're trapped."

"It couldn't be any worse than watching from behind you own eyes while being forced to attack your friends, right?" Pop guessed.

"She has a point," Shadow Ruka said.

Majo Toron pondered Pop's and Shadow Ruka's words carefully. After a few minutes, she came up with an answer. "I guess you're both right. But what do we turn them into?"

"Statues?" Shadow Ruka suggested.

"Too generic."

"Portraits?" Pop suggested.

Majo Toron sighed. Both suggestions were generic in her opinion. However, she had none of her own. She knew there were other suggestions, but they hadn't been listed yet and would likely be just as generic as those two.

"We'll go with portraits," Majo Toron finally said.

"Alright," Pop replied, "Minna-san, let's use Magical Stage!"

Shadow Ruka jumped and gasped. "No can do, Pop-chan!" The Shadow grasped her crystal. "Normal and Shadow Magic cannot be combined easily! In fact, the only ones who know how to do it is Doremi-chan and Shadow Doremi…and that's only when they-"

"But then-!" Pop interrupted.

"We'll manage," Majo Toron said assuringly, "We'll just out our magic together while Shadow Ruka restrains them so they don't turn _us_ into ghosts." The inventive witch clutched her chin in thought. "It'll be a long shot, but if we persevere, then we'll pull it off."

"Couldn't we just get someone else to come?" Pop asked.

"By the time we get in contact and convince them to come, it may be too late." Majo Toron sighed in remorse. "Don't forget, time is not on our side."

Pop's heart sank. _Magical Stage can pull off much more than three witches could normally do…_ "…but if we can do anything if we do it together, then we can do this!"

Majo Toron and Shadow Ruka nodded their heads in agreement. Pop reversed the nozzle, allowing Aiko to escape. In seconds, Shadow Ruka snapped her fingers and conjured shadowy ropes that quickly bound Aiko and held her fast.

"Let me go!" Aiko demanded as she struggled. She then saw Pop. "When I get out of this, I will-!"

"Pipitto PPurito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Turn Ai-chan into a portrait!"

Majo Toron snapped her fingers and lent magic to Pop's spell. The red beam hit Aiko, but she began straining against the magic. Shadow Ruka redoubled her efforts in keeping the blue Ojamajo under control, but it was clear that she wouldn't hold her for long.

"No! I won't let you kill me!" Aiko shouted.

Majo Toron channeled more magic into the spell. "This isn't about killing you, Ai-chan!" Pop called, "It's about saving you from yourself!"

Pop and Majo Toron gave one final push from their magic. Eventually, Aiko's resilience gave out and she started to vanish.

"No! No! NO! DON'T!" Aiko pleaded, "YAAAAAAAHHHHHH-!"

In a flash of light, where there was once the ghost of her friend now floated a portrait with Aiko. IT was lined with copper and the picture showed her with her back turned, looking over her shoulder with a venomously angered look.

"We…We did it!" Pop said triumphantly, "We actually did it!"

"But at what cost?" Shadow Ruka said, panting, "How many magic spheres do you have left after that?"

Pop gave a look at her poron. "Five left…"

"And I used up a good portion of my energy too," Majo Toron added, "There has to be a more efficient way!"

"I'm afraid there isn't," Shadow Ruka replied gravely, "Unless Shadow Isabelle changes her mind or you can come up with device that can turn ghosts into portraits in the next five seconds, of course."

Pop's heart sank once again. It took this much energy just to turn s ghost into a portrait? And it was going to take too long to contact help? Why does it have to take so much just to turn one ghost into a portrait?

"Is there anything we can do about Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko?" Pop asked, "Or are we going to have to turn them into portraits too?"

Majo Toron lit up. "As it just so happens, we don't have to turn them into portraits!" Majo Toron wheeled herself over to a door and gestured Pop to follow while Shadow Ruka vanished. The room beyond was very small and had a black steel door with a barred window on the opposite end. "This is an experimental cell where Shadows can be kept. It nulls their natural abilities, including their telepathy!"

"Perfect!" Pop exclaimed, "All we have to do is keep them here until we figure out what to do with them!"

"It's not that simple," Shadow Ruka replied, appearing next to Majo Toron, "There's only one cell and seven of them. It has been tested though, so it's usable."

"I don't think _these two_ would mind sharing a cell," Pop said. She then looked at the hose with a hint of remorse. "Shadow Onpu tried everything to save Shadow Momoko. I had to make sure she failed just to survive, but she still showed devotion."

Majo Toron opened the cell door and gestured to Pop to release them from the Vac-Drive. Pop did so, activating Shadow mode and reversing the suction. Shadow Onpu ad Shadow Momoko landed with a loud flop. Before they could recover, the steel door was slammed shut, trapping them inside. Pop saw a lone bed inside of the cell.

"Think they'll be okay?" Pop asked.

"I'm pretty sure," Shadow Ruka deadpanned.

* * *

Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko groaned. Being thrown out of a tiny space and being unceremoniously dropped onto a hard metal floor didn't help much.

"Ow~!" Shadow Onpu said, "Well, at least we're not trapped inside that thing anymore…"

"I know," Shadow Momoko replied, "But it was too cramped in there."

Both of them tried getting up but found it difficult. It took them all of three minutes to figure out that they were out. Once they did find out, they struggled even more, helping each other along the way. Finally, they succeeded, but were now aching from head to toe.

"I've…never been so stiff…in my life…" Shadow Momoko groaned.

"Ow~… L-look on the bright side, Shadow Momo-chan," Shadow Onpu said. She fought her own stiffness and walked up to Shadow Momoko. "At least there's nothing stopping us from getting out!"

Shadow Onpu immediately began trying to sink into the shadows that were present. To her shock, it didn't work.

"EH?! Why?" Shadow Onpu gasped. She then looked towards Shadow Momoko. "Shadow Momo-chan? Can you hear my message?"

Shadow Momoko shook her head. "No." She then tried to get into contact herself. "I'm getting nothing, Shadow Onpu-chan."

Shadow Onpu sank to the floor. They were trapped and at the mercy of the Light Beings with no way to contact anyone.

"I-It's not s-so bad!" Shadow Onpu said shakily, "If w-we stay here, then B-Black Queen-sama won't be able to punish us for f-failure! Yes! That's it!"

"Well, the Light Beings are nicer than she is," Shadow Momoko added, "Maybe we really can survive?"

The two turned to each other and immediately felt the pain from their confined space-induced cramps.

"Ow~!" Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko shouted.

The purple Shadow shook her head. "At least I can 'fix' us up…"

"Eh?" Shadow Momoko replied, but quickly fell back down, "Ow~!" She shook her head. "I-I don't know, Shadow Onpu-chan. I don't think-"

Shadow Onpu crouched down and put her finger on Shadow Momoko's mouth, silencing her. "Don't talk."

* * *

"Are you sure you've recovered enough?" asked Pop.

"Yes," replied Majo Toron, "The sooner we do this, the better."

"At least I have something to be useful for," Shadow Ruka lamented.

The threesome had been waiting for several minutes now for Majo Toron to recover enough strength to ensure that Momoko could be safely transformed into a portrait. With the inventive witch's words and the Shadow witch at the ready, Pop released Momoko.

"Oh?" Momoko yawned, "You've decided to-?" Momoko was interrupted by Shadow Ruka using her Shadow magic to bind her. "I'll take that as a 'no'."

Pop looked for a bit. Momoko still had her usual yellow glow, but her right hand held something that was glowing red. At the same time, Pop felt something familiar about it. And then it hit her. There was no mistaking it: What Momoko held was the chunk of Pop's soul that she had managed to take.

Momoko shot Pop an angry glare. "So you're just going to kill me now? After all we've been through?"

"No," Pop replied, "All I want is for you to return to normal! I don't want you to be a ghost anymore!"

"So we're going to turn you into a portrait until we find a way to turn you back without using magic to bring back the dead," Shadow Ruka added, "Aiko's already there and the only ones who can turn her back are Majo Toron and Pop."

Momoko's expression went from anger to shock and then to sadness. "Fine. I won't let Ai-chan be a portrait alone." Momoko smirked. "However, I can do THIS!"

Suddenly, something like crackling black energy went from her hand and into the chunk of Pop's soul. Immediately, she turned it loose.

"Catch it!" Majo Toron shouted.

"With what?!" Shadow Ruka shouted, "I can't hold two at a time!"

Pop used the Water energy and immediately began trying to lasso it. The chunk weaved in and around the tendril until it finally vanished through the ceiling. "No way…"

"Yes!" Momoko replied, "I may have failed to turn you into a ghost Pop-chan, but at least I got part of you! I can go into the portrait happy now…more or less."

Pop stood there in shock. A piece of her was now gone, likely headed for the mansion, and there was nothing she could've done about it. Majo Toron clapped once to get her attention.

"Don't worry about that chunk now," Majo Toron advised, "You'll get it back later. For now, let's make sure Momo-chan is safe and sound."

Pop nodded and began chanting. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Turn Momo-chan into a portrait!"

Majo Toron snapped her fingers. The combined magic of the witch and apprentice circled and enveloped Momoko. Unlike Aiko, she offered no resistance and quickly vanished.

Momoko's portrait had a silver frame and depicted her in her Patisserie uniform and holding a tray of cookies. She wore a melancholic frown.

"That wasn't as tiring as Ai-chan was," Majo Toron remarked, "I didn't have to use up as much energy!"

"But Pop had to burn another magic sphere," Shadow Ruka retorted, "Are you sure you don't have any more somewhere?" Majo Toron shook her head, making Shadow Ruka sigh. "I didn't think so…"

Pop looked her poron and counted four magic spheres. She then looked at both portraits and scanned them with the All-in-One. No messages came up.

"Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Is there a way I can talk to them? Even if they're portraits? They are…conscious, right?"

Majo Toron snapped her fingers. Both the portraits of Aiko and Momoko were immediately enveloped in a puff of smoke. When the smoke cleared moments later, both portraits were still there.

"That spell should allow them to speak telepathically to each other and to those who touch them," Majo Toron explained, "But it'll be thoughts only."

Pop nodded and pressed her hand against Aiko's portrait. If this didn't work, then-

_Pop-chan!_ Came Aiko's voice. It was in the red Ojamajo's mind.

"EH?!" Pop exclaimed, "It works!"

_Pop-chan? Can you hear me? Pop-chan?_

_Oh, right! _Pop thought, remembering Majo Toron's words, _Majo Toron-san's spell! It lets me speak to you via thoughts!_

_Wait a minute! I'm getting Momo-chan too! Demo ne-_

Pop shook her head. _I can't speak to her unless I'm touching her portrait too. Speaking of…_ Pop put her hand on Momoko's portrait. _Are you there-?_

_Pop-chan!_ Came Momoko's voice, _Ai-chan told me what happened._

_Momo-chan-_

_We're sorry! Please forgive us!_ Aiko and Momoko thought at the same time, _We couldn't stop ourselves!_

_Minna! It's ok! I'm fine now! You're safe!_

_But that part of your soul-_

_I'll get it back. Don't worry._

_I believe you should worry, Pop-chan,_ Aiko thought gravely, _Momo-chan told me that it'll be just as evil as we were when you see it again._

Pop's heart skipped a beat. _A-are you-?_

_Yes, Pop-chan,_ Momoko thought sadly, _I turned that part of you evil just before being turned into a portrait. And I would've done the same with the rest of you, too!_

There was a short silence. Several moments later, Pop broke it. _I think you two need to explain a few things._

_We will, Pop-chan!_ promised Aiko.

It was lengthy, and Pop thought she was going to fall asleep several times, but she managed to hear them out. When the two finished, she was equal parts shocked and confused.

_So you don't know how you turned evil and that it's all a blur to you?_ Pop asked.

_Yes,_ Momoko replied.

_And you don't know what the Shadow Ojamajos are planning?_

_Like Momo-chan and I said: We don't know,_ Aiko said, _All we remember is the wraiths separating and cornering us and then our Shadows coming in with some…_thing_. The next few moments were all a blur and then we couldn't control ourselves._

Pop withdrew her hands from the portraits. _Great. Memory loss. Why not keep us in the dark longer and drag this out?!_ Pop face-palmed. She then put her hands back on the portraits. _Gomennasai! I didn't mean to-_

_It's ok, Pop-chan,_ Momoko replied, _We'll get used to this. Just promise us that you'll save the others! Please!_

Pop nodded her head. _Once again, I promise. I will have more of them saved by the time I get back!_

_Arigatou, Pop-chan!_ Aiko replied.

And with that, Pop withdrew her hands once again. She then went over to Majo Toron.

"Um, Majo Toron?" Pop began, "Where do we put these two?"

Majo Toron shook her head. "I'll think of someplace."

"Preferably not a closet," Shadow Ruka added sarcastically.

* * *

It had taken a while, but Pop was finally ready to head back in. She had already placed the captured wraiths in the training area to allow Majo Toron to study them. She was more than a little tired out from the stress of her ghost hunting and so decided to stick around for a bit longer. Majo Toron was looking over the database that Pop had managed to expand.

"…and the Gravesoils," Majo Toron continued, "Didn't you say Ai-chan merged with three of them and used Earth-based powers against you, Pop-chan?"

"Yes," Pop replied, "But for some reason, whenever I split them from Ai-chan, they just seemed to vanish until she called them back. And they weren't there when the battle ended and I never sucked them up!"

"Which obviously means they're still in the mansion," Shadow Ruka said bluntly.

_Well this'll be fun,_ Pop mentally deadpanned, _I'm going to be running into them again later…yay._ A smile crept onto her lips. _Then again, with my Sky powers, I won't have to worry about them much…_

"I think I've rested long enough," Pop said. Her tone had a level of aggression and sounded relatively sinister, "I'll be going now."

Neither Majo Toron nor Shadow Ruka could make heads or tails about what Pop's tone meant and could only worry for her safety…and sanity. She was gone in moments.

"I really wish I wasn't injured," Majo Toron said. She sighed as she stared at her broken leg. "Now we can only hope Pop-chan doesn't fail…and lose her mind after this."

"We can't say for sure," Shadow Ruka replied, "But if she dies, then I'll bring her back."

Majo Toron gasped in surprise. "But-But wouldn't you be -!"

"I know. But you forget how easily we Shadows can come back compared to you Light Beings. Remember Black Queen's second attempt on the world?"

"I see your point." Majo Toron shook her head. "But what if Shadow Tourbillon refuses to bring you back? What if bringing Pop-chan back goes against your protocol?"

"It's a risk I'll have to take." A beeping from Shadow Ruka's pocket caught her attention. She took out the source, which was a small cell-phone. "Moshi moshi? Hai. Ok, I'll be right- WHAT?! There's a-! Oh you've got to be kidding me! Ugghh! Fine! I'll be right there!" Shadow Ruka closed her cellphone and put it back in her pocket. "That was Shadow Isabelle. Apparently, she's detecting a massive build-up of Witches in Majo Kai and says that Kada fears a Walpurgisnacht is coming. I'll be right back!"

No sooner than she had finished did she vanish into the shadows. Majo Toron immediately got a grim look on her face.

"And I bet I know where it'll be," Majo Toron said, "I'm going to have to-!"

Majo Toron was interrupted by a moan coming from the cell. She cautiously made her way to it.

"Ah!" The voice belonged to Shadow Momoko.

"Eh?"

"Ahh!" Shadow Momoko cried again.

Majo Toron hastened her approach and pressed her ear against the door.

"Ohhhh!"

"What…the hell…are they doing in there?!" Majo Toron whispered to herself.

"Ooaaahhh!"

Majo Toron opened the door and peered inside.

"OOOAAAAAHHHH!"

Majo Toron's eye twitched. Her goggles seemed to do the same. "They're just messing with you. They're just messing with you. They're just messing with you…"

* * *

"AAAAAHHH!" Shadow Momoko cried out. "Oh! That's feels better!"

"One more, just one more!" Shadow Onpu replied. She put both of her palms on a specific portion of the yellow Shadow's back and pressed down. A cracking sound echoed throughout the cell. "And done!"

Shadow Momoko got up off the bed and quickly tested her movements. She felt no pain whatsoever.

"Sugoi, Shadow Onpu-chan!" Shadow Momoko remarked, "Where did you learn to do that?"

Shadow Onpu chuckled. "If my Light Half…is going…to be…a drama queen of an idol, then I…may as well…be…a Shadow of many…talents!" she firmly declared as she cracked her own joints. "Whew! Though I, uh, may need a little more practice…"

Shadow Momoko shook her head and smiled. "You don't have to be so modest around me, Shadow Onpu-chan. You did a great job! I've never felt so alive before!"

Shadow Onpu smiled. "You're too kind to me, Shadow Momo-chan." The purple Shadow clenched her fist. "And now I'm beginning to think _he_ is responsible…!"

"They're just messing with you! They're just messing with you!" Majo Toron's voice resounded, coming from somewhere outside the cell. Both Shadows jumped and their faces went red with embarrassment. "They're just trying to unnerve you, Majo Toron! Pull it together! I-I-I'll just go and tell Pop what I just heard!"

And with that, Majo Toron left, still mumbling.

"What's with her?" Shadow Momoko asked.

"Pffft!" Shadow Onpu scoffed, "Light Beings."

* * *

"OK, it's official!" Majo Toron ranted, "That is the _most disturbing_ thing I have ever heard! And to have done THAT at their age too!"

Majo Toron looked around in frustration. Were Shadows really into that when they got to THAT age? And why were they so incredibly brutal with their methods?

It would have to be for another time and another place. For now, Majo Toron had to find somewhere to put Aiko's and Momoko's portraits. She quickly levitated them with her magic and began looking around. The walls were almost completely hidden by equipment and instruments and the only doors in the room led to the training area and the cell and another room. Majo Toron glanced at the last door.

"There better be room in that one," Majo Toron muttered. She quickly wheeled herself over there and entered. The room was just like the main chamber: filled with equipment and instruments. "Never mind! I'll just have to _make_ room!"

Majo Toron snapped her fingers. At once, all of the equipment moved slightly, leaving a large area open for the portraits. She snapped her fingers again, causing several hooks to appear. Moments later, she did what she came there to do and hung the portraits.

"And now…to get in contact with Pop-chan and warn her!" Majo Toron wheeled herself out. Just before she left, she turned back and shot a melancholic look toward the portraits. "If there is a way, then I will have to find it. And I will have to study you two and figure out why you are evil now." Majo Toron left the room and closed the door. "This…I promise."

* * *

**A/N: The scene with Shadow Momoko and Shadow Onpu is a side-effect of looking at too much rule 34. It is also a troll scene and completely intentional.**


	11. Eavesdropping on the Shadows

**A/N: There are some things in the chapter that weren't planned. Most of it is exposition. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Eavesdropping the Shadows-

* * *

Pop stood in the foyer. She had just returned to the mansion and had a good idea of where gold key with the diamond handle went. She looked straight up and saw the chandelier.

_Not this time,_ thought Pop. She carefully went around the bull's-eye underneath and made her way to the door. The chandelier did not fall on top of her this time. _As if I was going to fall for that one again…_

She opened the door and went into the hall beyond it. To her amazement, the hall was now brightly lit, easing her tension and giving her comfort. She was about to continue when the All-in-One began beeping. Pop answered the transceiver.

"Pop-chan!" Majo Toron's voice crackled over the device, "I have some bad news!"

"What kind?" Pop replied, "If this is-"

"It's worse than you believe." Majo Toron took a deep breath. "Shadow Ruka left the building and said something about Kada fearing a Walpurgisnacht somewhere in Majo Kai."

"Yeah, and?"

"A Walpurgisnacht is a gigantic Witch of immeasurable strength formed by several smaller Witches merging together. One of them alone is enough to devastate Majo Kai and its appearance alone would kill thousands."

Pop couldn't make heads or tails on what Majo Toron was saying. She had faced several Witches already, so why would this one be any different? True, she did have a number of close calls, but she always found a way to beat it in the end. Why should she be so afraid of this one?

"I'm don't think it'll be too much trouble, Majo Toron," Pop replied, "I've beaten everything the Shadow Ojamajos have thrown at me so far, even my own undead friends!"

"But Pop-chan-!"

"Remember what you said about the familiars a while back?"

"I know. But those things are nothing compared to the Witches that spawned them-"

"And I've defeated every single one of them! Why can't you have faith in me just for one Witch that's probably not as powerful as you think it is?"

"Because I've-"

"Gomennasai, Majo Toron-san, but I'm starting to think you want me to back off again, even after how far I've come. Don't contact me again with any more warnings."

"POP-CHAN-!"

Pop shut off the transceiver just like that. Shaking off the feeling that she made an unwise move, she continued towards the door at the end of the hallway…

* * *

"POP-CHAN! POP-CHAN! POP-CHAN!" Majo Toron shouted frantically, "Damn it!"

"I didn't think she would actually do that," Shadow Ruka's voice said from behind Majo Toron, "But with all the stress, it wouldn't surprise me."

Majo Toron turned around. "How long have you been back?"

"Since a few minutes after I left."

Majo Toron shook her head. "As if I didn't have reason to worry before…Now Pop-chan's become overconfident. Cocky. She won't survive a Walpurgisnacht!"

"Funny thing about it…" Shadow Ruka shot Majo Toron a knowing look. "I never told you _how_ Walpurgisnachts form."

Majo Toron sighed. "I guess I have some explaining to do then…"

* * *

The web-like barrier pulsed rapidly followed by the thorns vanishing from the door. Pop felt like she could take on anything. And the Witch that still lurked behind this door was no exception. At once, she inserted the key and, after the resounding click, turned the knob. The rush of memories hit hard, but she bore with it and opened the door.

Beyond it was a bizarre landscape that Pop hadn't seen since the first area. Everything looked like a collage and gave the implication of simultaneously being 2D and 3D. Adelberts and another smaller type of familiar fluttered around. In seconds, she was surrounded by the smaller ones. They were faceless other than the thick mustaches and resembled dandelions with butterfly wings at their bases. Their arms held a pair of massive scissors. Pop scanned them.

_ANTHONY: The rose-garden Witch's minion. His duty is landscaping. His mustache is set by the Witch._

_This Witch really _does_ love mustaches_, Pop mentally deadpanned, _But the entry said that Adelberts had a smaller version. I'll have to keep watch._

Pop noticed runes above the familiar's heads. She tried to read them.

Das sind mir unbekannte Blumen.  
Ja. Sie sind mir auch unbekannt.  
Schneiden wir sie ab?  
Ja. Schneiden wir sie ab!  
Die Rosen schenken wir unsrer Königin.  
Und die schlechten Blumen  
steigen auf die Guillotine.  
Ja. Schneide sie ab!  
Ja. Schneide sie heraus!

_I can read the runes, but I can't understand German,_ Pop thought, _And the All-in-One only gives bad translations when used on German text!_ Pop activated the dark energy and used its sword form. _No matter. These things are going down!_

Pop immediately set about hacking them apart just as they began trying to cut her to pieces. There were dozens of them, but the red Ojamajo knew she could take them. She leapt off one of their heads and blasted them with repeated blasts of fire and darkness, killing several and scattering the rest. Finally, she used the Water energy and sliced the remaining familiars to pieces.

Pop landed on the ground and panted from the brawl. The meter for Dark and Fire had dropped to only a quarter and the Water energy was hanging in at above 80%. She grit her teeth and pressed onwards, deciding to use stealth from now on to conserve energy.

After what seemed like a few minutes, Pop found herself ambushed by two eight more familiars, two of them being Adelberts. The red Ojamajo decided to try out her new Earth energy…only for it to do nothing. It then hit her that it would need actual earth to work, something that didn't truly exist in a barrier.

Pop grit her teeth and decided to slice them with her Water tendril. She was just in time; the familiars were about gang up on and either chop her up or ram their heads into skull. She did it, but not before suffering several cuts and a dislocated right arm.

It was then that she noticed a door. It opened, and Pop found herself being drawn down a long hallway in a manner similar to the barrier of Oktavia's, except the doors further down were wildly different in style. There were also fewer doors to pass through before she found herself in the inner sanctum.

The area was littered with roses, be they arranged into bouquets, simply lying on the ground, or placed in pots or hanging gardens. In the middle of it all was a massive creature that looked like it had sprung up from –or actually sprung the- barrier. It had a long pale stem with feelers underneath and its head was a rose bush that drooped like it was hair.

Pop got the strange feeling that the roses were looking at her. With a cry of pain, she forced her dislocated arm back into position; it still felt like it was going to fall out at any time though.

_Ew,_ Pop thought, _That Witch is _still_ disgusting! But I'll beat her easily enough…just like last time!_ Pop took out the All-in-One and scanned the Witch.

_GERTRUD: The rose-garden Witch with a distrustful nature. She holds roses dearer than anything else. She expends all of her power for the sake of beautiful roses. Despite stealing the life-force of humans who wander into her barrier to give to her roses, she loathes the thought of them trampling the inside of her barrier._

_She loves roses that much? And I guess that's why she steals everyone's life-force._ Pop shuddered, remembering how she aged dramatically when she had to slice a small chunk of her soul off just to keep Momoko from killing her. And that small chunk, some of her life-force with it, was now wandering the mansion and she couldn't let this thing use it for her roses. "It's you and me, Gertrud-san."

Pop emphasized her point by stamping down onto a small Adelbert, crushing it. The Witch took offense at the act and promptly threw the massive heart-shaped chair it was sitting on at Pop. The red Ojmajao side-stepped the attack and sliced it with her Water tendril, knocking it away. She then saw the witch flying around on its butterfly wings, emitting distorted screams as it tried to line up its attacks.

Pop mounted her broom and gave chase, whipping around her Water tendril in an effort to strike. The Witch was large but surprisingly agile; she was evading her attacks with a grace rarely seen in creatures her size. In frustration, Pop launched a geyser at the Witch, hoping to drench her wings and send her plummeting. She hit, but the Witch proved resilient and remained aloft.

_Of course, it's a reality-defying monster, what else should I have expected?_ Pop mentally berated. Suddenly, a chain of small Adelberts ambushed and surrounded her. In seconds, they had transformed into a vine that wrapped around her; they promptly slammed her into the wall of the sanctum. The Witch then fluttered up to Pop, intending to make her end as painful as possible.

Pop stared at the roses on the ground. "You like roses, do you?" Pop aimed her Vac-Drive at a small cluster. She then shot a fireball at it, setting it ablaze. "It's me or your roses. Take your-"

The Witch didn't wait for Pop to finish. It's rose bush-like head spiked in shock at what Pop did. In moments, the Gertrud had fluttered down, intending to save its roses from destruction.

The red Ojamajo saw her chance and sliced the vine holding her down. She then took aim at the Witch. "Gomen ne, Gertrud-san," Pop said, "But I had no other choice." She gathered the last of the Dark, Fire, and Sky energy. "Tiro…Finale!"

The Witch looked back at Pop long enough to see the massive ball of fire and darkness rapidly closing in. Not even a moment later, the blast engulfed the Witch, rapidly incinerating and tearing her apart. The last Pop saw of her was an open area under her head; the silhouette of a figure within a red butterfly-shape.

Pop watched as the Witch vanished into the flames and darkness. When the flames died down, a swarm of various butterflies fluttered in all directions, leaving the Witch's Grief Seed in their wake. The barrier faded quickly.

* * *

Pop began her descent and grabbed the Grief Seed. She then surveyed the area. It was a courtyard; it had a fairly large area and had several interesting and not-so-interesting objects. There was a fountain and a number of lit lampposts along with a handful of potted plants on short columns. An outhouse sat beside a well and several more lampposts.

"This area is just outside the mansion's walls," Pop said aloud, "What if…What if some of the witch's familiars escaped?"

Pop collapsed to her knees. Majo Kai could already be threatened by familiars by now. She had failed to contain them. This mansion was too small; how could it hold all of these Witches and their familiars?

Another thought struck the red Ojamajo. The canine Witch Uhrmann was also outside the mansion. Could some of her familiars have escaped too? Likely. If Gertrud's familiars could have escaped this easily, then why not Uhrmann's too? In which case, Majo Kai could already be doomed. Their magic was nearly useless against these Witches and they didn't know of any Puella Mag who would be willing to help hunt down and destroy these things. Kada didn't count, since he may as well be actively against them.

_I hope you're proud of yourselves, Shadow Ojamajos,_ Pop thought angrily, _You've just doomed all of us to suffering and quite likely yourselves too! Those things _will_ eventually find a way into your world…and when they do, they'll_

Pop's thoughts were interrupted by faint voices coming from the well. Intrigued, she went over to it and discovered that the bucket and rope could work as a makeshift elevator. After using a spell –and dropping her magic spheres to three- to restore her Elemental energy meters, she went down the well and quickly found it to be a hidden passage. There was a wall with a small hole in it from which light filtered through. As she approached, the voices got louder; Pop easily discerned who they belonged to: The Shadow Ojamajos…or rather, the five that were left. She peeked through the hole to get a closer look.

The room was more like a cavern, albeit one that had been decorated and arranged like an inner sanctum and a mission control. A bright chandelier hung above a large rectangular table. A closer look revealed that it was a pool table that was currently in use. Shadow Doremi, Shadow Hazuki, and Shadow Pop were sitting around the edges while Shadow Aiko and Shadow Hana played their game. Shadow Aiko seemed to be in the lead.

"Yeah," said Shadow Aiko. She used her pole to strike the cue ball and send it rocketing into a striped ball. No balls went into any of the six holes along the table's edges. "Light Pop's done beat that Witch up there."

Shadow Hana took aim and nailed the cue ball, making it hit a non-striped blue ball. It fell into one of the holes. "How long do you think it'll take for her to get here?"

"As long as she doesn't have the rest of the keys," Shadow Doremi replied. Shadow Hana took another turn and launched the cue ball into a solid purple ball. It hit a solid black ball, causing it to go into a hole. Everyone else snickered. "Eheheh! Hrhrm! As I was saying, Light Pop can't get here without those keys."

"She got two after she captured Shadow Momo-chan," Shadow Hazuki said. Shadow Hana fumed over losing to Shadow Aiko.

"I should've won that round!" Shadow Hana shouted.

"You only lost three rounds, Shadow Hana-chan," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "Stop blubbering before you lose another."

"Well, I can see where this is going!" Shadow Pop began. And then, for reasons Pop couldn't explain, her expression softened and then went to sadness. "Aggghhhh, screw this! I'm tired of acting!"

Pop's eyes went wide. _Acting?!_

"EH?!" Shadow Doremi shouted, "Demo ne, Shadow Pop-chan-!"

"I don't care if Black Queen-sama is watching or not!" Shadow Pop shouted, "I can't go on like this! I couldn't keep it all in any longer!"

Shadow Doremi worked her magic. In seconds, the pool table vanished and was replaced by a table similar to the holo-grid. It had seven seats around it but didn't seem as great as the one Majo Toron had, but it still did its job. The five Shadow Ojamajos took their seats, leaving two of them empty. Pop guessed that those belonged to Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko.

"Y'know," Shadow Aiko began, "I think it's time we dropped this act too."

"You know we can't do that, Shadow Ai-chan," Shadow Hana replied, "Not that we wouldn't love to anyway."

"Because Black Queen-sama wanting us to do things _her_ way and not let us do it _our_ way _definitely_ wouldn't warrant this!" Shadow Hazuki deadpanned bitterly, "Wow. Long winded for once."

"I don't care! Did you see that smile Light Pop had?!" Shadow Pop yelled, "That wasn't her usual smile! It had a bloodlust to it!" Shadow Pop shook her head furiously, likely in an attempt to shake off the memories. "And you remember how ruthless she was when she took Shadow Momo-chan and Shadow Onpu-chan, don't you?!"

"How can we forget?" Shadow Aiko replied, "Shadow Momo-chan's screams. She was begging for help. Anyone. And Shadow Onpu-chan went against common sense and went alone with just a shotgun and a long butcher knife."

"And do you really believe Black Queen-sama cares?" Shadow Doremi asked, "She specifically told us that she wanted all seven of our Light Halves."

"Need I remind you how pissed she was when she found out you were merged with your Light Half during _that_ incident?" Shadow Aiko retorted.

Pop recalled the event like it was yesterday. She recalled how the two of them bickered using the same mouth and had nearly killed one another. After that, they just seemed to mellow out; it was almost impossible to tell what was on their minds. And when they were truly separated, their personalities had suffered several changes…such as Doremi developing a penchant for playing pranks with a zeal comparable to Shadow Doremi's or Shadow Doremi developing a kindness streak similar to Doremi.

"Yeah." Shadow Doremi turned around. "She never forgave me for that…and I don't think she ever will…and that's fine." Pop followed where Shadow Doremi's gaze went, but her vision was blocked by a pillar. "Y-know, I'm actually tempted to let Light Doremi go and fill her in on the plan just to insult Black Queen-sama. Oh well."

Pop blinked in surprise. _Let Onee-chan go? As in turn her back?_ Pop shook her head. Her marker never vanished from the map, so she couldn't have been turned into a ghost. And then remembered: This room had a similar shape to the room where Doremi was last in. To that end, the red Ojamajo shifted herself as quietly as possible to get a better view of what Shadow Doremi was looking at. It was going to take a while, so she decided to keep listening in.

"Black Queen-sama always did say Skaj was a bad influence on you," Shadow Aiko remarked, "Personally, I couldn't agree more."

"But I-!" Shadow Doremi stuttered.

"You tore down half the Castle with one move and began showing much more disrespect ever since you first met him," Shadow Hazuki explained.

"Speaking of Black Queen-sama," Shadow Hana interjected, "She has been a bit paranoid lately."

"Wouldn't surprise me," Shadow Pop replied, "Shadow Tourbillon is loose. Been that way for a long time already. And we all know how a battle between her and Black Queen-sama would turn out."

All five of them sunk at the thought. Pop only had an idea of how powerful she was. Majo Tourbillon was the most powerful witch to ever walk Majo Kai. And since Shadow Tourbillon was, as her name implied, her Shadow, it would make sense that she was even stronger than that. Of course Black Queen would be paranoid. With someone that powerful out and about and in league with a dangerous enemy, who wouldn't? All it would take is for either Kada to give to order or for Black Queen to give her a reason, and Shadow Tourbillon would come in and kill them outright and with no second thoughts.

"I still say Black Queen-sama should've let us carry out this plan the way _we_ envisioned," Shadow Hazuki argued, "If that would've happened, then we would have-"

"We tried to go against that, Shadow Hazuki-chan," Shadow Aiko replied, "We even thought about secretly guiding and helping her to foil the plot!"

"I was even prepared to trip and fall just to give Light Pop the distraction she needed to escape," Shadow Pop pouted, "But then she-she-!"

"Because turning her friends into evil ghosts _and_ filling this mansion with monsters that could easily wipe out Majo Kai certainly _wouldn't_ have provoked her into becoming ruthless," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.

"Well, Shadow Momo-chan wasn't the least bit interested in acting," Shadow Hana added, "And when she was captured like that, well, Shadow Onpu-chan lost all drive to aid her and decided to kill her right then and there." Shadow Hana laid her head onto the table. "I feel so guilty about Light Hana-chan…"

The other four Shadow Ojamajos turned toward the white Shadow. Finally, Shadow Aiko spoke up. "Is this how it feels to have a heart grown? To feel pain and pity for others?"

"A long time ago, there was a time where we would've been more than happy to do these horrible acts to our Light Halves," Shadow Doremi explained, "And then Shadow Hana-chan was attacked by that…_thing_ and then _that_ incident happened."

"We were forced to share hardships with our own Light Halves," Shadow Pop added, "And during mine and Light Pop's time together, we actually almost died to that thing that attacked us back before that Skaj went AWOL. And Light Pop never demonstrated that kind of ruthlessness. Ever." Shadow Pop turned and looked at what Shadow Doremi was looking at earlier. "Light Doremi. What's happening to my Light Half?"

"Something that would either make Black Queen-sama smirk or piss her off," Shadow Aiko retorted.

"Or something that would make our Light Halves more wary around her," Shadow Hazuki added.

All five of the sunk again.

"We really have grown hearts, haven't we?" Shadow Aiko asked.

"I believe so," Shadow Pop replied, "Especially Shadow Hana-chan and Onee-chan."

"I'll admit, I started off hating her for being such a happy-go-lucky idiot," Shadow Hana began, "But after that _thing_…well, I, uh, you get the picture. A-anyway, Light Hana comforted me in that time and I ended up becoming like a friend to her. Still and enemy, but a friend too! A frenemy!"

"I believe the better term is 'friendly enemy'," Shadow Doremi retorted.

"And it only intensified," Shadow Hana continued, "To the point where I feel so much guilt about doing this to her…"

At that moment, Pop finally got into position and saw what Shadow Doremi was looking at. What she found made her gasp in horror. On the far wall was a portrait. But it wasn't like any normal one she had ever seen. She could tell from a glance that this one was made by magic. Shadow magic. And it depicted Doremi. She was sitting on the ground, depressed.

It was very clear now. Doremi had been transformed into a portrait in much the same way Aiko and Momoko were. But unlike them, Doremi wasn't a ghost at the time.

Fearing that she may have been detected, Pop wasted no time in leaving the well. Next thing she knew, she was back in the courtyard, panting from the rush to escape. Once it subsided, she collapsed to her knees and tried to process what she overheard.

She got nothing other than Doremi's fate.

With that in mind, she called up Majo Toron and told her what she found out. It took a while –and some apologizing for showing such arrogance- but Pop got the message through. At the same time, Majo Toron gave a second warning about Walpurgisnacht and told her that the sheer number of Witches in the mansion could very well allow for one to form and blow it apart. Pop took it to heart and bid farewell before closing the All-in-One's transceiver.

As Pop continued pondering about what to do next, she felt her trust for others start to wane. She didn't know how or why, but it just was. It was a s though she was losing parts of herself to these foreign memories that were now flitting through her mind and altering her personality. She felt like a mentor, and ally of justice, and a cynical loner at the same time. It was confusing and terrifying at the same time.

Who was she? Why was she doing this? Why did she set this goal? And why is she so bent on attaining it?

These questions continued popping into Pop's mind with unrelenting fury. She knew the answers and acting accordingly, but they kept coming. They harassed her relentlessly, despite her constantly answering them, remind herself of why she was here. In the end, they took their toll on her, causing her to collapse from the mental exhaustion.

* * *

**A/N: I had to rush this chapter. I am sorry about this.**


	12. Dark Mirror of Pop Harukaze

**A/N: This chapter and the previous were supposed to one. And then there were time constraints and the rest is history. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Dark Mirror of Pop Harukaze-

* * *

"No sign of her," Shadow Aiko said as she came back from the dragon-like mouth that lead to the short corridor under the well.

The Shadow Ojamajos were complaining about their plan when they heard Pop gasp and made them realize she was eavesdropping on them. Shadow Aiko was the first to leap into action and would've spotted the red Ojamajo had it not been for their collective willingness to give her a chance to undo their plot. After all, it wasn't the original thing but something Black Queen made them do.

"We'll just have to let it go, minna-san," Shadow Doremi said, "Besides, we'll have another shot against her some other time."

Shadow Pop shook her head. "And by the time we do, she'll be even stronger that when we last saw her!"

"All the more reason to tell her the truth!" Shadow Hana argued, "Maybe if we do that, she'll stop hunting us and-!"

"You mean sell out the plan AND running the risk of Black Queen-sama watching?!" Shadow Aiko shouted, "That's suicide!"

"It's worth a shot!"

"Considering the crap we've put her through tonight," Shadow Hazuki began, "I'm sure she'll be _just_ peachy."

"It has to work!"

"Shadow Hana-chan?" Shadow Pop asked, "I admit, I'm scared of what Light Pop's going to do!"

Shadow Doremi drooped a bit. "You feel guilty about Light Hana, don't you?" Shadow Hana nodded. "If any of us know Light Pop, then it's that she will listen and possibly understand. If she doesn't, then both of you have to tell us what's wrong with her and how she was like."

"Both of us?" Shadow Hana tilted her head quizzically.

"Hai. You and Shadow Pop-chan will talk to her together." Shadow Doremi turned to look at Doremi's portrait and then resumed speaking to Shadow Hana. "Set up wind breaks and handles and maybe you can stop her from sucking you both up. You might be able to get her to talk that way."

"That sounds like a plan," Shadow Hazuki replied, "But that's unusually clever, even for you."

Shadow Doremi shook her head. "Let's just say I…still remember a few things from when I…hung out…with Skaj-kun."

"Oh please, he was only smart enough to get himself BANNED FROM THE CASTLE!"

Shadow Pop went over to Shadow Doremi and hugged her. "I'll be going now with Shadow Hana-chan. If this doesn't work, then we'll be sure to tell you all everything we know!"

Shadow Doremi, Shadow Hazuki, and Shadow Aiko all nodded. "Good luck, you two. And please don't get killed," Shadow Aiko said.

"We'll keep that in mind," Shadow Hana replied. She and Shadow Pop then vanished into the shadows. Both reappeared suddenly a few moments later. "Ok! Light Pop isn't getting off _that_ balcony without getting hurt!"

"It's crawling with familiars!" Shadow Pop shouted, "We were almost eaten by them!"

"Whoa! Calm down!" Shadow Aiko replied. She then sighed. "Ok, just avoid that area like the plague for now-"

"How did you guys get away?" Shadow Hazuki inquired, "Don't they usually make mini-barriers that can easily block our travel by shadow?"

"These…weren't," Shadow Pop replied, "I'm not complaining though. Ney, Onee-chan?"

Everyone looked at Shadow Doremi and noticed that she seemed spaced out. It took a while for them to realize that Shadow Doremi was trembling.

"Onee-chan?"

"If they're gathering like that…" Shadow Doremi muttered, "Oh my god…Oh my god…Oh my god!"

"Wh-what? What's so bad about a bunch of familiars gathering and dropping their-?" Shadow Aiko inquired but was interrupted.

"Walpurgisnacht!"

"N-nani?"

"You two better find Light Pop quick!"

"Eh-?!" Shadow Hana stuttered.

"GO! NOW!"

Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop quickly nodded and made haste with finding the red Ojamajo.

"Um, can you explain what a Walpurgisnacht is?" Shadow Aiko asked.

"It's a holiday named after the gathering of witches," Shadow Hazuki explained, "Nothing to be worried about."

"What about _those_ Witches in this mansion? What do you think happens when _they_ gather?" Shadow Doremi replied grimly. Shadow Aiko and Shadow Hazuki gulped.

* * *

Majo Toron wheeled herself into the main chamber, levitating the portraits of Aiko and Momoko with her magic as she did so. Shadow Ruka was waiting for the inventive witch.

"I take it you're wanting to ask them something?" Shadow Ruka asked.

"Hai," Majo Toron replied. She pressed both hands against the portraits and began conversing with the trapped Ojamajos…

* * *

Pop woke up with a start. Her head still felt numb from the bombardment of questions. She had begged them to stop, but they had kept coming until she could no longer take it and fainted. She clutched her head, intending to keep the questions out. Once she was sure they weren't coming, she set off to the door at the far end of the courtyard.

It was locked.

"Screw this," muttered Pop. She took aim with her Vac-Drive and fired a blast of Fire and Sky, blowing the door off its hinges and sending it into the room beyond. "Garbage!"

Wasting no time, Pop set foot into the now-smoldering doorway…

* * *

The room made Pop gasp in shock. Aside from the destroyed door and some ruined furniture, it looked exactly like her room back at her home, even having fake windows to complete the illusion. The strange familiarity, along with the unnatural chill that hung heavy in the air, left the red Ojamajo more than a little unsettled.

"Did you really have to blow the door open? The key was just on the mat, after all!" griped a voice.

Pop's eyes went wide. She knew who the voice belonged to: Herself. Only one person who shared her voice came to mind and that was Shadow Pop. But then she remembered that she lost a piece of her soul to Momoko and saw it escape just before she and Majo Toron turn her into a portrait. It was then that she knew the source of the chill. Immediately, she began scanning the room, looking for the ghost that was making it so cold in there. _Her_ ghost.

"I'm right here!" the voice called out again, "Sheeze! Am I always this clueless when looking for stuff?"

"It would be easier if you came out!" Pop bitterly replied.

"Are you sure? You won't like it one bit."

"JUST SHUT UP AND SHOW YOUR GHOSTLY ASS!"

"OK, ok! No need for foul language." There was an echoing chuckle. "But don't say I didn't warn you…"

The chill deepened. Pop looked around but still didn't see her ghost. It had to be playing a trick on her. But why would she be into pranks? She's above pranks! She's been above pranks for all of her life! She wasn't her Shadow! And she wasn't her older sibling! Come to think of it, she started feeling uncomfortable around Doremi when she started enjoying pranks…just like the malicious pranks that _her_ Shadow enjoyed playing-

A horrible stench filler her nostrils, breaking her train of thought and forcing her to seal it shut.

"You need glasses, Living Me," the spectral voice taunted. Pop spun around to its source and saw it: It was her ghost alright. She had a red glow and her eyes glowed red. Her poron had red points of lights where the Magical Spheres would've gone but otherwise looked normal. But what made her striking was the sheer lack of the scars she had suffered throughout the mansion and the severe ageing she had suffered when she was attacked by Momoko. "I didn't think I'd see you like this!" she remarked.

Pop shined her flashlight into her ghost. It had absolutely no effect, just like when it was initially used on Momoko.

"What made you think that would work?" Pop's ghost asked, "Didn't it failing on Momo-chan teach you anything?"

"Urusai," Pop retorted, "Why do you smell like Gomibako-san?"

Pop's ghost giggled as she floated around the young girl. "How do you think I got to this form?" She removed her hat and held it to her chest. "He wasn't like the other arti-ghosts in the mansion. He had a heart and soul of his own."

"They're called wraith's, uh, Pop-chan," Pop uncomfortably replied, "Ok that's a little weird, talking to myself…"

"That's what they're called?" Pop's ghost shook her head. "No, no, NO! I'm not going to get sidetracked!" She took a deep breath, even though she didn't really need to. "I think he liked us to an extent. But seeing himself for what he really was made him sad. I found him here and asked what he wanted. It took a while, but I found out he wanted to die. So I offered him the chance to help us and he sacrificed himself to allow me to go from being a mere chunk of your soul to a full on copy!"

Pop was speechless. She had always considered the Trashcan wraith to be annoyingly hard to deal with and had even wanted to kill it, but to have these qualities? Every single wraith she had encountered up until then were practically mindless, with the elemental wraiths being more cunning and vicious. And now she finds out it kind of wanted to be her friend? It was lonely? Did it really-

Pop shook her head. She had things to take care of and wanted to waste no more time. She had to get to the point. She had to reabsorb this chunk of her soul. And she was going to do it, no matter what it took.

"Still thinking on how to make my words out?" ghost Pop taunted, "I guess so, since you haven't been-"

"Shut up! Just shut up!" Pop yelled, "Just come back to me and-"

"No can do." Pop's ghost put her hat back on and took on a relaxed position. "You sliced me off, remember? How do you think we're going to reunite? Magic?"

Pop blinked twice. She never thought about what it might take to pull this off.

"You don't even know what kind of magic it'll even take!" Pop's ghost sighed. "But…truth to be told, I really want to be whole again…but there's only one way to do that at this point." The red ghost smiled. "It'll be very rude of me to not give you a fighting chance, so I'll let you scan me."

_And give me a chance to find your- no! MY own weakness?_ thought Pop, _Gladly!_

Pop pulled out the All-in-One and scanned her own ghost with it. She then looked at the resultant entry.

_Pop Harukaze's -t: A gh-t bor- w-en a -m-ll -u-k of Pop Har-a-e's soul wa- re-m-ved. S-e ex-r-e- - de-ire to b- re-nit-w-th her -th- h-. Sh- is weak to- ERROR! HIGH INTERFERENCE! UNABLE TO COMPLETE SCAN!_

_What is wrong with this thing?!_ Pop mentally shouted, _First it's an idiot translator and now it's failing to scan right?!_

"I can tell what you're thinking from that look in your eye…" Ghost Pop taunted.

Pop continued to eye the screen while her ghost smiled mischievously at her.

_Nope. Not gonna work, Living Me! You're not gonna find my weakness with that!_

Pop's blood ran cold. Scanning her ghostified friends allowed the All-in-One to pick up their thoughts and relay them as messages on screen. This enabled them to aid Pop in fighting and capturing them. But her own ghost was different. Her thoughts were wholly devoted to the same goal as the ghost herself ever was.

"Oh well, you tried and failed," Ghost Pop said, grinning, "Come on out, everyone! Come out and play!"

At once, three small orbs of darkness flew out of the dresser, followed closely by three more emerging from under the bed. They had glowing red eyes much like Ghost Pop's but seemed to have no other features. Suddenly, their forms began changing. Their shapes began boiling, shifting, and convulsing violently. Small buds grew out, lengthening into sticks before finally becoming limbs. A large bud came out from underneath before expanding, rapidly becoming a torso. Finally, their heads took shape, sprouting noticeable features such as eyes, mouths, and hairstyles.

When it they were finished, they exactly like Misaki, Fumio, Tatsuya, Kazuhiro, Yoshihiko, and Kimitaka. The boys they now resembled went to Kindergarten and even entered elementary school with Pop. But these copies were jet black in color and their eyes glowed red. They were literally dripping with malevolence.

Pop's unease around them intensified. Why would someone- NO! This isn't just someone. It was a part of her that made these. But why would she want to make them like this? Even if they were close to her, she would never have dreamt of making copies of them. Not even under extreme loneliness.

A beeping caught Pop's attention. Ghost Pop shrugged.

"If you must, check that new entry," said Ghost Pop, "The information you'll get will just make it all the more interesting for me!"

Pop warily glanced at her Ghost and then checked the entry, making sure to keep an eye on the ghost.

_Possessor: A Dark-elemental fiend. They can enter inanimate objects and bring them to life. The only way to force them out is to destroy the object in question. They can also take over a living person, in which case only killing the victim will remove the fiend. As Dark-elemental fiends, Possessors are weak vs. light. Normal light alone will not affect them and they are capable of sucking the light out of an area if they so please._

_Now why couldn't it have scanned properly earlier when I was scanning my own ghost?!_ Pop thought bitterly, _Seriously?! Demo ne, I don't have the Light medallion, so these wraiths are invulnerable to everything except magic…and familiars._ Pop's eyes went wide. _But how can Dark wraiths exist?! They never got the Dark medallion!_

"Ghost me!" Pop shouted, "How are these wraiths even possible?!"

Ghost Pop smiled. "When you sliced me off, a bit of the Dark energy from your blade clung. And since wraiths are made using Dark magic, well-"

"That doesn't explain how you could make them!"

"I was getting to that!" Ghost Pop sighed indignantly. "The Shadows magic isn't the same kind of Dark magic that was used to make the wraiths. I guess they took some of its energy when Majo Toron-san wasn't looking and used that." The ghost smirked. "You remember a few years back, don't you? When the Shadows made their second attempt?"

Pop stared angrily at her ghost. She did remember the explanation like it was yesterday…

* * *

_"World's End is a mysterious place, located beyond the borders of the Witch World." Majo Sloanne said, showing the team a map. "At its center is the Mahou Islands, and according to my findings, the Islands are a meeting place for a special group of witches called 'Elementals'."_

_"Elemental witches?" The Ojamajos questioned._

_"I think I know what she means." Majorin said. "Minna-San, you all don't know this, but the whole of Majo Kai is divided up into different regions, each one classified by eight elements: fire, ice, water, sky—"_

_"Sky being a combination of wind and air." Majo Sloanne interjected._

_"...Yes. Earth, music, light and darkness-And I don't mean Shadow darkness, by the way."_

* * *

Pop grit her teeth. The Dark magic used to make the wraiths came from the Dark witches and not the Shadows. This explained their weakness to light and made them inherently Dark-based. But the Possessors were much more in tune with their element and were thus more resistant to the light than normal wraiths. The red Ojamajo glared angrily at her ghost and at the six wraiths orbiting her.

"Well, if you're done glaring, I'd like to merge with the rest of you and become whole again," Ghost Pop said, "Minna! To me!"

The six Dark wraiths nodded and immediately began spinning around Ghost Pop at a breakneck pace. Pop, in desperation, went against her better judgment and shined her flashlight on them. It did absolutely nothing other than earn her a mocking laughter. To her horror, the wraiths went into Ghost Pop one by one. The red Ojamajo had seen this before with Aiko's ghost. At once, she readied the All-in-One for another scan.

Once the process was done, Ghost Pop was clad in a ghostly or organic armor that was blatantly comprised of the wraiths she had just absorbed. She had armguards for each limb, anklets, a distorted breastplate, and a distorted armored skirt. Every part seemed to pulse on its own and had a pair of glowing red eyes. Suddenly, a sharp blade made of Dark energy appeared in Ghost Pop's hand.

Pop made haste and scanned the ghost.

_ERROR! UNABLE TO SCAN! INTERFERENCE LEVELS EXCEED CAPACITY!_

_Again with the error?!_ Pop angrily thought, _Forget it! She's obviously Dark-based. And I have nothing to fight her with other than my magic!_

"Damn it!" Pop said with a combination of anger and fear, "I'll just have to find that-"

"Oh, you're not going anywhere!" Ghost Pop retorted. Her voice carried a demonic undertone. "I'm going to take the rest of you and become whole!" She snapped her fingers. At once, both armguards reverted back to the forms of Misaki and Kazuhiro and proceeded to fly straight at Pop. "Keep her still by any means necessary!"

Pop dodged the wraiths and shot a smirk at her ghost. "You might want to teach them better aiming skills, Ghost me!"

Ghost Pop chuckled. "Who said they were aiming for _you_?"

Pop gave a short thought about what she meant. Her eyes went wide with shock upon coming to the conclusion. By then, it was too late; the Misaki and Kazuhiro possessors had animated the blankets on the bed and, with unearthly speed, wrapped and pinned Pop's arms to either side of the bed and held her fast. Ghost Pop floated up to the red Ojamajo with a content look on her face.

"This was really too easy," Ghost Pop remarked, "But that was because you didn't have the Light medallion. Oh well, I guess I owe you a few things for being too easy."

"Like my freedom?" Pop bitterly deadpanned.

"Hardly!" Ghost Pop quickly caught herself and calmed down. "I'll tell you a few things. Such as how the Shadow Ojamajos are turning us into psychological weapons to use against Jou-sama against their will and how much Black Queen was proud of them for coming up with this by themselves!"

"Nani yo?! How could you have-?!"

"You're not the only one who can eavesdrop on the Shadow Ojamajos, Living Me." Ghost Pop cleared her throat. "They also never killed them but used something to turn them into ghosts. And that thing can probably reverse it too! And I think I even know what it is!" The ghost made her point by drawing her poron. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto! Show Living Me what I'm talking about!"

There was a puff of smoke. It was quickly followed by a vision unfolding in front of Pop. It showed Shadow Pop receiving a strange device from shadow Doremi. She didn't know what it was supposed to be…until she recalled her first meeting with them in the mansion. She had seen that device before. But what was it?

The vision faded from existence in mere moments, leaving Pop dumbfounded. She then glared angrily at the ghost once more.

"Is that ALL I can do now that I've lost a part of me?" Ghost Pop deadpanned, "Well, I'll soon change that!" The ghost retracted her blade and then cracked her knuckles and neck. "I guess I should tell you what I have planned after merging with you."

"And what is that?"

Ghost Pop smiled. "Once we're whole again, I'm going to finish off the Witches and familiars here and absorb the other wraiths! Then I'll free Momo-chan and Ai-chan, beg for their forgiveness, and then we'll turn Shadow Momoko and Shadow Onpu into ghosts! And then we'll do the same to the rest of the Shadow Ojamajos!" Ghost Pop smiled sweetly. At the same time, an ectoplasmic tear of joy dripped down her cheek and onto the floor. "And then, since we'll be ghosts now, we could live in this mansion and call it our home…_FOREVER_!"

Pop was speechless at the plan. Turning them all into ghosts? Turning the Shadows into ghosts? Was that even possible? And then clearing out the Witches and familiars? And then finishing it off by making this mansion their permanent home? It didn't sound like too good of a plan. It was suicide. Did she really think she could take on the Witches by herself? But then again, she had been defeating Witches left and right ever since her adventure started, so it might not be mere boasting and false promises.

In any case, Pop had no intention of becoming a ghost. Unfortunately, she was pinned down and at her own ghost's mercy. She had to find a way out of this. She needed a way out of this. But the red-eyed ghost floating before her didn't seem interested in giving that chance. Still, she had to try.

"Ghost Me?" Pop began, "Why can't we work together and defeat the Witches? You can already go to areas of the mansion that I can't reach yet and deal with the Witches there! I can-!"

"That's exactly the plan I would use to escape from, well, me!" Ghost Pop replied, "Do you really thing I'm going to let this opportunity slide?" The ghost shot Pop a look of sadness. "I'm sorry, Living Me, but this is the only way I know of that can reunite us. That and you can't even imagine the freedom being a ghost has!"

Pop's eyes went wide with horror. Before she could find the words to reply with, she saw her ghost drive both hands into her chest. And just like with Momoko, it was supernaturally cold. Seconds later, she felt both of the ghost's hands clench into fists. That was it. She had her soul in her grip and was now going to pull it out and merge with it. Pop began concentrating, hoping to keep at least some of it in and stall for time…if any help was coming.

"Don't struggle, Living Me! Please! It'll only make it painful!" Ghost Pop urged. She then yanked harder and pulled out a portion of Pop's soul. "It won't be long now! Just hang in there!"

It was taking all of Pop's concentration to resist having her soul torn out, but it was quickly failing. With each yank, more of Pop's soul emerged. Before long, only her left hand still had part of her soul.

At the same time, she looked over herself and realized she was looking from the eyes of her soul. Aside from what was still in her body, Pop had a clear view of her soul. It looked just like the rest of her body. But then she looked where her heart should be. She found nothing. Absolutely nothing but a gaping hole. It could not be denied; that was the missing part of her soul. And now it was taking the rest for itself.

Ghost Pop gave one more yank. Somehow, Pop held on, but just barely. She was hanging on by just a finger.

_I really am going to die,_ Pop mentally lamented. She closed her eyes, expecting to be fully ripped out on the next tug. _I'm really going to die…and spend the rest of eternity as an undead ghost…Sorry everyone…but I failed in my goal…_

"This…is…it!" Ghost Pop shouted. She gave one final yank…

…and then Pop found the grip on her soul being released.

* * *

**A/N: Ghost Pop wasn't planned, but it was just too good to pass up. And now I have even more plans for her now. This fic isn't over yet, so keep reading the chapters as they get uploaded.**

**The flashback is from PrettiWitchiMegChanChi's "Ojamajo Doremi: Witches at World's End". If you haven't read it, go check it out.  
**


	13. Brutal Revelation

**A/N: This chapter is going to be a bit more on the sadistic side than previous ones in my opinion. It will also have a major spoiler for "Ojamajo: the Fusion Incident." That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Brutal Revelation-

* * *

The room felt unearthly cold all of a sudden.

Shadow Doremi stared grimly at Shadow Hazuki and Shadow Aiko. The latter two were speechless.

"I-If something like _this_ was going to result," Shadow Hazuki stammered, "Th-then we sh-sh-should've used s-something else!"

Shadow Aiko put her hand on Shadow Hazuki's shoulder and shook her head. "The only ones safe from that thing will be anyone who isn't in Majo Kai," she said. She then shifted her gaze toward Shadow Doremi. "Why didn't you _tell_ us about Walpurgis earlier!?" Shadow Doremi's head sunk. "WELL?!"

"Because Black Queen-sama forbade me," Shadow Doremi finally replied, "She liked the thought of unleashing a plague of reality-bending monsters on Majo Kai. When I told her what Walpurgis was, well, at the very least, she was pleased. But then I told her that we didn't want to unleash something that powerful on the Light Beings for fear that it would eventually come after us…"

"And she told you not to tell us why?" Shadow Hazuki asked accusingly.

"She knew we would try capturing the familiars. She knew we would put them back in Ningen Kai where the Puellae Magi would either kill or let them become Witches." Shadow Doremi slammed her fist on her chair. "She threatened me with a fate worse than death…if I ever told you before the plan was set in motion."

"Figures," Shadow Aiko retorted, "And let me guess: Black Queen-sama wants to see how powerful Walpurgisnacht is?"

"It's a safe assumption," Shadow Hazuki replied, "She didn't like losing to Light Queen's Super Form the first time and she didn't like losing to an upgraded form either. Hell, she even hated seeing Light Rin get one of her own!"

"Evil Rin hated that even more," Shadow Aiko added.

"The point is-!" Shadow Hazuki breathed heavily. "-Black Queen-sama wants to see Light Queen lose in her Super Witch Form, by any means necessary! …though she would prefer doing the deed herself."

"And Walpurgisnacht seemed like a good idea for it," Shadow Doremi finished, "In any case, we can't stand up to something that powerful. Nothing can." The pink Shadow closed her eyes in thought. "I've never seen it in action…I've only heard of what it can do from Skaj-kun. And even _he_ seemed deathly afraid of it."

Shadow Hazuki shook her head. "If Skaj is afraid of it, then Black Queen-sama would easily like to see it defeat Kada and his team." She straightened her glasses. "In the meantime, I'll relay this to Shadow Hana-chan and Shadow Pop-chan."

"Good. They'll need this." Shadow Doremi glanced at Doremi's portrait. "I hope they warn Light Pop about this…"

"Until then, that balcony will be off-limits," Shadow Aiko added, "The only one who can deal with those familiars is Light Pop!" Shadow Aiko smirked. "Let's lure her there early so she can deal with them!"

"Are you sure she can handle them?"

"Couldn't be any worse than dealing with several Witches with _armies_ of those things," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.

Shadow Doremi and Shadow Aiko shot each other looks and then at Shadow Hazuki.

"Okay," Shadow Doremi spoke up, "But if Light Pop doesn't make it, then we'll have to abandon this plan and-"

_Oh, I wouldn't be too sure,_ a telepathic voice spoke in all three of their minds. The Shadow Ojamajos knew _exactly_ who this belonged to. _After all, this _is_ your plan and it would be dishonorable to abandon it all because of a simple flaw…_

"Fine…Black Queen-sama…" Shadow Doremi replied under her breath.

_Then I shall leave you alone for now._

Once they were sure Black Queen wasn't watching them, the Shadow Ojamajos resumed their conversation.

"Well, f**k that plan," Shadow Aiko stated indignantly.

"But I thought-!" Shadow Doremi stammered, but was cut off by Shadow Hazuki.

"When Black Queen-sama makes a promise…" Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.

There was a silence. Finally, Shadow Doremi spoke up.

"Now what?" Shadow Doremi asked.

* * *

Pop's eyes were closed. She was dead. That much she was certain. Her soul had been ripped out by the very chunk that she sacrificed to save herself with. And now this was it. She was going to live life as a member of the undead.

She moved her arm...only to find it still attached by the fingers to her body. In an instant, her eyes shot open. Surveying her surroundings, Pop saw everything as if it were in slow motion. Her ghost was reeling from what seemed to have been a cheap shot and the possessed blankets that were holding her down had been disintegrated. Quickly turning her head, Pop saw something floating by the door: The shimmer. And then she noticed that her body was still intact. Immediately, she took advantage of the part of her soul that was still attached and went back inside.

A massive breath of air immediately flooded her lungs, so much that she found herself going into a daze and feeling very disoriented. When she recovered, she had to refocus her vision. What she saw shocked her: The shimmer was fighting her ghost self by using Light attacks!

"Why are you with Living Me?!" Ghost Pop shouted, "You should be with the others!"

The shimmer didn't answer. Ghost Pop angrily lashed out with her sword. The shimmer fired a beam of light and disintegrated it, but Ghost Pop fired her own beam of darkness, striking and sending it reeling.

Pop got a look at the shimmer. The blow, for a brief moment, caused an outline to appear. The shimmer wore the same uniform as the Ojamajos sans Hana, but that was all that could be discerned before it returned to its preferred form.

The shimmer made a move that seemed to imply that it knew Pop was up and about. It them made another gesture, causing the opposite side door to unlock and open. Pop saw what it was trying to do and quickly made her move.

"Oh no you don't!" Ghost Pop yelled. She quickly pursued Pop but was intercepted by the shimmer. "Out of my way!"

While this was going on, Pop had made it out the door and came to a hallway. To her right was a door that Pop, from experience, believed was locked. To her left was a staircase likely leading up to the next floor. She took a chance and barreled up the stairs.

Just as she was halfway up, she heard an explosion. Pop spun around and stared fearfully at the source. The door she had just come out of had been blown off its hinges. Moments later, the shimmer flew out; instead of the smooth and flowing pattern Pop had thought, it flew in a motion that reminded her of limping. Within the moment, it had vanished through the door.

Pop fired a Fire and Sky blast at the door. Through the resultant dust cloud, a beam of light could be seen; the number of them increased as the dust cleared. Suddenly, the light seemed to vanish, as though it was being drawn into something. An angry yet childish growl told Pop who was doing it.

"Come back here, you treacherous, glasses-wearing-!" Ghost Pop angrily said.

Pop wanted no more of it and quickly fled up stairs, coming to another door. She tried it and, miraculously, it was open. She wasted no time in going through it and shutting the door. She was now in another hallway; only this one was more straight-forward. Candles lined the walls at set intervals, but the dim illumination meant that wraiths would likely show up. The red Ojamajo treaded with caution.

The first door she came across was locked as per the norm with another split just ahead. Pop glared at the door as though it were mocking her very being.

"Maybe there was a key back in that room?" Pop asked out loud, "There are no runes on this one, so it's safe…minus the wraiths and all."

"That's too bad," replied a voice from behind Pop. The red Ojamajo spun around in shock and, to her horror, saw Ghost Pop floating behind her with a toothy grin plastered on her face. "I would say 'You look like you've seen a ghost', but…"

Pop decided not to let her finish. At once, she slid on her knees underneath the red spectre and fled down the hall. She rounded the bend and continued onwards, repeating with the next corner and passing a few doors. At the end of the hall was yet another locked door.

"Great! Just what I needed!" Pop griped. She turned around only to face her ghost once again.

"Heheheh," she chuckled as she waved her finger at the red Ojamajo, "End of the line, Living Me!"

"I don't think so!"

Pop punctuated her shout by firing a Fire and Sky blast at one of the doors she passed. The explosion blew the door off its hinges and kicked up a thick cloud of dust. Taking advantage of the resultant concealment, Pop made a break for it and slipped past her ghost self and back around the corner.

But instead of going to her right –which was where the stairs were-, Pop went to her left and came to a dead end. She was about to turn back when she noticed a slight blur taking over the hall. At the same time, runes began appearing on the wall, bringing to the surface a certain fear.

The red Ojamajo had no intention on fighting another Witch at this time. Thus, she promptly fired yet another Fire and Sky blast, this time blowing a hole in the floor. Then, taking as much care as time would allow, she gripped the edges of the hold she made and dropped down into the hall below…

* * *

Pop landed with an audible thud. She may have landed on carpeting, but its lack of thickness left it as an ineffective cushion. Still, she hadn't fallen far, but she swore that she had sprained something. She got up and immediately felt pain in her ankle, confirming her fears.

Pop looked up and saw that the blur had enveloped the hole and was now starting to come down.

"Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop quickly chanted, "Time stop!"

And as per her spell, time itself froze. The rose-haired girl chose not to remain in the area and limped off as fast as she could, trying to put as much distance between herself and the encroaching barrier. She rounded the bend and decided that she could potentially find aid courtesy of the shimmer and made haste to the room that looked like Hazuki's.

Her spell wore off by the time she turned the next corner, allowing the barrier to continue spreading. To Pop's fortune, she was able to get through the door and slam it shut just before it could reach her. The door formed runes afterward. Unfortunately, with all the excitement from being chased by her ghost self, eluding a Witch, and having to run on an injured foot, Pop passed out.

* * *

"Are you sure you that's all you remember?" Majo Toron desperately asked.

"_Yes!_" Momoko replied, "_I'm sorry! Although…_"

"I understand. I will interrogate them immediately."

Majo Toron removed her hand from Momoko's portrait. For ten minutes now, she had been trying to get some information out of Momoko and Aiko. So far, all she had been able to discern was that neither of them could remember much from when they were evil ghosts. The lack of progress was driving the inventive witch to her wit's end and back…_repeatedly._

"Perhaps I could be of assistance?" Shadow Ruka asked. Her tone had a hint of deadpan seriousness to it.

Majo Toron shook her head. "I doubt you would get any further than I." The inventive witch turned towards the door before the Shadow Ojamajo's cell. "I'm going to ask the _them_ a few questions."

Shadow Ruka sighed. "Do your best."

It wasn't long before Mao Toron had wheeled herself over to the Shadow Ojamajos. Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko were being rather…_friendly_ with each other. At least, that's what the sounds coming from within the cell implied. Majo Toron face-palmed.

"OKAY, YOU TWO! I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS AND I WANT THEM ANSWERED!" Majo Toron boomed.

"Gyahhh!" both Shadows jumped in surprise. This was quickly followed by the sound of something large falling over and hitting the hard floor. Shadow Onpu quickly got to her feet and peered out the door's window. She glared at Majo Toron.

"What. The hell. Was that for?!" Shadow Onpu yelled, "Shadow Momo-chan and I weren't doing anything-!"

"There's no time for your excuses!" Majo Toron bit back, "I have questions. You have answers. And time is running out-!"

"Ugh! Light Beings!" Shadow Onpu said in disgust, "I'm not going to tell you anything!"

"Etto ne…Shadow Onpu-chan?" Shadow Momoko peeped, "Maybe we should…uh…tell her anyway."

Shadow Onpu's eyes went wide as her head turned to where Shadow Momoko apparently was. "N-nani yo?! But what if Black Queen-sama-?"

Majo Toron saw her expression soften. _I suppose Shadow Momoko has a strange influence over Shadow Onpu,_ she mentally surmised, _Does this mean that even Shadows know friendship, despite their outlook?_

Majo Toron could barely hear Shadow Momoko's words. She made out a "…please, Shadow Onpu-chan? Maybe if we…" and a "…even if Black Queen-sama…" but nothing else. She then saw Shadow Onpu turn back to the inventive witch.

"Fine," the purple Shadow said, "We'll tell you all we know-"

"Then I shall begin," Majo Toron said, interrupting Shadow Onpu.

"And if you ever get in contact with Light Pop again," Shadow Onpu growled, "Tell her I'd like to give her a piece of my mind!"

Majo Toron's expression hardened slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Pop awoke with a groan. She was still on the same spot where she had collapsed, much to her confusion. Adding to that was the pain that still existed in her ankle.

_The shimmer should've healed me by now,_ thought Pop.

She got to her feet, using the counter for support when necessary. Once she was steady, she gave a quick glance over the room. It looked just as normal as the last time she was there, including the charred remains of the other door and the smell of smoke.

Another glance revealed that the shimmer was in the room. It was on the bed and its posture made Pop believe it was sitting. There was a slight shift in its form that was followed quickly by another. Then it glowed a bright orange, making Pop shield her eyes from the sudden glare.

When it was through, the shimmer's form had changed drastically. It now had an orange glow complete with similarly colored glowing eyes and wore an orange uniform just like the Ojamajos. In her chest was a light that shone like a star. A familiar round pair of glasses was on her face and she had long brown hair. She was panting heavily.

Pop gasped in shock.

"Ha-Hazuki-chan?!" the red Ojamajo blurted in surprise.

The ghost turned her head back. "Hai…" she said weakly, "Gomennasai…Pop-chan…"

Pop was speechless. All this time, it had been Hazuki who had been guiding her, giving her keys, and healing her. And then her eyes shot open. Hazuki completely lacked any and all of the wounds that Pop had been healed of. That is, unless it wasn't _her _who was healing her. The thought alone broke Pop out of her stupor.

"H-have you…Have you been healing me?" Pop finally asked. Hazuki nodded her head. "But then-?!"

Hazuki shook her head. "I…I think it's because I'm…I'm…not living anymore. That I do not have anywhere for the wounds to…to transfer to…yet."

Pop clenched her fist. That last part of Hazuki's statement. She was clinging onto the hope that she will be human again. And quite likely, she wished that the others wanted to return to normal too. But if she does, then wouldn't she suffer the healed injuries all at once? What is she thinking?! She remembered the last time she healed something, did she not? Onee-chan said Hazuki would've been near death had it not been for Jou-sama! She's sealing her fate just to allow me-

Pop furiously shook her head. She had to get those thoughts out before they drove her mad…at least, more mad than she probably was by now.

"Please don't tell me I have to fight you!" Pop begged.

Hazuki closed her eyes. "That de…depends…on how much longer I…I can hold…hold it back…Pop-chan." The orange ghost turned toward Pop. "At first, i-it only took…almost no…thought…just to suppress. But as I used magic and aided you…it got worse."

Pop was about to ask what she meant by "it" but went on a limb and believed that "it" was whatever made them evil when they were ghosts.

"But how? When Ai-chan held it off, it was only for a few seconds! And Momo-chan couldn't hold it back at all!" Pop's pupils shrunk and she quickly aimed her Vac-Drive at Hazuki in fear. "H-how can I tell you're not trying to trick me?!"

"Pop-chan! Please!" Hazuki gasped and then clutched her head. "I…I know you have a way to read our minds. Use it! Please!"

Pop hesitantly took out the All-in-One and scanned Hazuki. She then read the entry.

_Hazuki Fujiwara: A timid, sweet, and loving young girl who is a very close friend of Doremi's. One of her defining traits is her intellect and her overwhelming fear of ghosts. She is also a bit naïve, but it has allowed her to find the good in some people. She does not like fighting for any reason, preferring instead to break them up. The presence of the Light Medallion within makes her Light-based, giving her an aversion to Darkness but allowing her to travel even in brightly lit areas. Her weakness is her own image._

_But Hazuki-chan isn't vain!_ Pop mentally yelled, _Onpu-chan is…to some extent…Okay, more than the others, but still! _Pop rubbed her fingers over her forehead. _Ok, Pop. You've scanned Hazuki-chan. Now time to see if she's really trying to trick me or not._

"I…I…" Hazuki sputtered.

Pop looked at the All-in-One.

_I…I…_

It was all the proof she needed. "Hazuki-chan…! Gomennasai! Gomennasai!" Tears streamed down Pop's face. At least, that's what should've happened. It didn't for some reason, but she didn't care at the moment. "I should've given you a chance! Please forgive me! Please!"

"Pop-chan…" Hazuki began. She then shook her head. Pop immediately stopped talking. "It's…it's okay. If anyone should be…be apologizing, it should…it should be me.

"I wish…I could've aided you further, Pop-chan. I wish I could have had more time…but I don't. To prolong myself, I…had to heal some of your wounds only a little. As I used magic…I weakened." Hazuki pointed toward the light in her chest. "This…this light…it is the Light Medallion. Its power is…is what has allowed me to resist…resist it for so long. But it depended on my own resolve…my own resolve that weakened with each moment…"

_So that's how Hazuki-chan lasted so long,_ thought Pop, "But did you-?"

Hazuki clutched her arm. "They surrounded me, Pop-chan. They chased me into this place! Cornered me!" The orange ghost buried her head in her hands. "I had never been so terrified. And then Shadow Hazuki showed up. She had a strange device…and she used it on me. When she was done…she tasked me…me with guarding the Light Medallion. I couldn't control myself…I was staring through my own eyes while something evil controlled my body and will. But then the power of the Medallion gave me strength and I broke free…and when you came, I decided to aid you…guide you…heal you…"

Hazuki suddenly broke down and orange ectoplasmic tears began streaming down her face.

"I didn't want to be a phantom again! Even if I could be sensed normally, I didn't want to be one!"

The light inside her flickered for a brief moment. Pop knew what Hazuki was talking about. She had seen it personally. Everyone thought she had been killed when in reality her soul had been disjoined. Such was the power of that weapon Majo Isabelle used during _that_ incident. But perhaps this was also what allowed her to resist it for so long?

Pop didn't know. And there was no real way for her to know anyway. For now, she had other questions, but did not know if all of them could be answered.

"So please, Pop-chan!" Hazuki turned to the red Ojamajo with a desperate look. She then gestured her hand and a drawer opened up. "That drawer has a tool that will let you use my appearance."

"But Hazuki-chan!" Pop cried out, "I have so much more to ask you!"

"I know…but I'll try-" Suddenly, Hazuki's eyes went wide and she clutched her head. She began panting even more fiercely that before. "Never…mind! It's taking control! I must-!"

"Hazuki-chan!"

Hazuki drew her poron. "Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu!" she chanted in a strained voice, "Heal Pop-chan of her injuries!"

The wave of orange magic washed over Pop. In seconds, the pain from her ankle disappeared along with her fresh scratches and bruises. Pop looked at the All-in-One and saw that the messages matched the words Hazuki just spoke.

The orange ghost stopped panting and straightened her glasses. Pop looked at her with worry and went on the defensive. At the same time, the room had become unearthly cold.

"Hazuki-chan…?" Pop said carefully, "Are you…Are you alright?"

Hazuki turned back toward Pop. "Hai, Pop-chan." She smiled sweetly. "I guess I didn't really have to worry after all!"

Pop kept her distance and looked at the All-in-One, scanning it for messages from Hazuki's mind.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Yes, you did…Hazuki-chan," Pop replied, "But _you_?" The red Ojamajo took aim. "Hazuki-chan doesn't want to be a phantom! So let her go!"

The sweet smile vanished from Hazuki's face and was replaced with a frown. "But there are too many advantages-!"

"Save it! I know you're not Hazuki-chan! Not the Hazuki-chan I know!"

Hazuki's expression changed to another smile; it reeked of evil and malevolence. "You know…I really do not like that thing you have in your hands, Pop-chan. So I'll just destroy it!" Hazuki rose into the air and raised her poron. "Paipai-!"

_I have to get that tool and use it now!_ Pop mentally shouted. She rushed toward the open drawer and reached her hand inside.

"Ponpoi-!" Hazuki continued chanting.

Pop took out the contents of the drawer. It was just a small hand mirror. _Let's see if vanity is _this_ Hazuki's weakness!_ Pop aimed the mirror's reflective surface at Hazuki. "Look at this, Hazuki-chan!"

"Puwapuwa- Nani?" Hazuki ceased chanting and looked at the mirror. Her reflection stared back at her. "Eh? Eh? EH?"

_Now to blast her with Darkness and-!_ Pop thought, but her train was interrupted.

"**OBAKE!**" Hazuki screamed. She then began zipping around the room. "**MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA!**"

_So it wasn't vanity?_ Pop shook her head. _No! I can't think of how or why it worked! I have to suck her up. Now!_ And with that thought, Pop took aim with the Vac-Drive. Unfortunately, Hazuki was flying around too fast to get a clear shot off. "Hold still!"

The red Ojamajo grit her teeth and decided to just spray a stream of Darkness with the hope that Hazuki will fly into it. And to widen the area, Pop waved the nozzle around so as to scatter it around. Just when it looked like she was going to run out, she caught the orange ghost in the stream.

"Gahhh!" Hazuki screamed. The light in her chest went out, allowing Pop to see the Light Medallion floating within her spectral body and leaving her with a mild orange glow. "I didn't want to fight you, Pop-chan, but now you leave me no choice!"

Hazuki immediately charged Pop, but she immediately shined her flashlight on the ghost. And as usual, it had no effect, forcing Pop to dive out of the way. The rose-haired girl then took out the mirror and the ghost once again saw her reflection. She floated there momentarily before screaming again.

"**KYAH!**"

_This is it! This has to be it!_ Pop mentally yelled.

She shined her flashlight once again on Hazuki, successfully stunning her this time. Pop then activated the Vac-Drive and immediately began sucking the ghost in.

"What? NO!" Hazuki screeched.

The orange ghost quickly tried to fly off, but the suction zeroed in on her and caused Pop to be dragged along for the ride. The red Ojamajo yanked hard repeatedly against Hazuki's tug, but she was proving to far more persistent than even Aiko's ghost. At the same time, Hazuki was taking advantage of the room's layout and proceeded to drag Pop to where the bed would impede her movements. She could not maintain the hold she had on the ghost and was quickly knocked onto her backside. Hazuki floated up and the Light Medallion began glowing fiercely once again.

"You almost had me, Pop-chan," Hazuki remarked, "But now _they_ will have _you_!" She raised her poron once more. "Paipai Pon-"

"I don't think so!" Pop yelled. She quickly regained her footing and fired a Dark blast at Hazuki. It struck true, causing the Light within the ghost to fade and leave her with her orange glow. "Bullseye!"

"But you're too late! Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu!"

_Oh no!_ Pop thought, _Please not _her_!_

"Ghost Pop-!"

Hazuki was almost finished casting her spell, but Pop threw the mirror to where the ghost was. She saw her reflection, causing her to stop the spell and look at it in shock. It had only been a second, but it was enough. Pop didn't wait for her to begin panicking; she just shined her flashlight on her. Once again, Hazuki was stunned, allowing Pop to suck her in.

"No! NO! **NO!**" screamed Hazuki.

It was intense, but Pop managed to avoid the same pitfall Hazuki lured her in to last time and gave one yank after powerful yank. Finally, Hazuki, exhausted from the repeated tugs, lost her balance and fell to the suction. She vanished into the Vac-Drive. No sooner than she did, the lights came on and the Light Medallion fell to the floor.

Pop picked up the fallen coin and gave it a good glimpse. It was silver and gold in color and had a brilliant ray engraved into its surface. She put it away and looked at the meter on the Vac-Drive and saw that there was now one for Light energy.

_Finally! Something to fight my ghost self with!_ Pop smiled internally. She then let the recent events sink in. _But…with Hazuki-chan gone..._

It hit like a ton of bricks. She had taken for granted the healing Hazuki had given her throughout her ordeal. Now any injuries she sustains will be permanent and the mansion is still full of Witches that will easily inflict such wounds on her and then some. If she didn't take her earlier interest in being careful seriously then, she will now.

A glance at the All-in-One's screen broke Pop's train of thought. On it was a single message…from Hazuki.

_Pop-chan…I know…I know you have little time, but…there are many things in this room…things that will serve you well later…They're hidden and if the wraiths and Shadow Ojamajos find them, I…I fear the worst. Please get them, even if you…even if you find it amoral…_

The message ended right there. On these words, Pop began searching the room, turning it upside down where necessary…and sometimes literally. After roughly twenty minutes, Pop had found a bag of keys, a bag of Magical Spheres, and the Ice Medallion with a note written in perfect Kanji and Katakana…using orange ectoplasm.

_If you're reading this, Pop-chan, then that means I've succumbed to the corruption caused by that device the Shadow Ojamajos have. However, I retrieved the Ice Medallion from its guardian. It saw me as a ghost, so it wasn't much trouble. I'm hiding it in here so you will find it. Use it well! But I have to warn you: There is another Medallion in addition to the Fire, Ice, Water, Sky, Earth, Light, and Dark Medallions. I do not know what it is, but it is well hidden and seems to be the most dangerous of them all. If a wraith gets it, then you must find a way to defeat it and get that Medallion! Time is of the essence, and probably now more than ever! Please, Pop-chan. You have to go and retrieve it! Only you can…and only you can save us all from this horrible fate!_

_ -Fujiwara Hazuki_

"Arigatou, Hazuki-chan," Pop said to herself, "I've already promised to save everyone, no matter what. And if this Medallion is as powerful as Hazuki-chan says it is, then I have to find it!"

Pop put the Ice Medallion away and saw that there was now a meter for Ice. She then looked into the two bags and reviewed the keys; she swore there were enough for the entire second floor. The second bag revealed that the Magical Spheres were the ones that her poron used. Earlier, the Magical Spheres Majo Toron gave her had to be condensed into the form her poron used. These were already in that form on top of there being many of them. Looking into her poron, Pop realized there were only two Magical Spheres left; the bag raised that number to forty-nine.

After reloading her poron, Pop used a spell to extract Elemental energy and refill her meters. She turned toward the door and saw that the runes had not left. Pop swallowed hard. She knew that several Witches are hiding behind the doors. And she knew what happened whenever she gripped the knobs of such doors.

Suddenly, the memory of what the Ulla familiar did to the Sea Quake wraith surfaced. She remembered how it sucked the wraith dry of everything except the dark magi that made up a part of it. And then, to her horror, she remembered how her ghost self was still there when she blew apart that door. If a small familiar can effortlessly kill an elemental wraith, then what chance did Ghost Pop stand against a Witch?

It was then that Pop realized that she may have inadvertently brought a permanent end to a part of herself. She will never be whole again. No! She had to hope that Ghost Pop escaped the Witch. It seemed like the odds were against her, but Pop knew she had been getting better at fighting and eluding; she trusted fate and firmly believed that Ghost Pop was still around, hunting her down but is being blocked by the Witch.

Bracing herself, Pop decided against touching the knob and simply blew the door of its hinges using a Fire and Sky blast. At once, the barrier of the Witch flooded the room…

* * *

**A/N: I intended to get this uploaded before 21/12/2012. I have succeeded. But only time will tell if tomorrow is the end of the world. Reviews are appreciated.**


	14. Terrible Misfortune

**A/N: It took a while longer for me to get started on this due to finally getting something back. I will not say what it is in any part of the fic. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Terrible Misfortune-

* * *

Ghost Pop floated back and forth, taking glances at the door below. The runes were still on it and she didn't want to risk fighting the Witch. But this waiting was getting on her nerves and she feared that she wouldn't be able to hold back any further. She conjured a blade using the Dark energy she still had and began drifting down the stairs.

She was stopped when the shoulder part of her Wraith armor gently clamped down.

"Nani yo?" Ghost Pop squeaked. She turned her head and saw part of the possessor wraith's head emerge. It shook its head and gave a look of worry. The one from her armored skirt reformed its hand and pointed upwards. "Ah, I see!"

Taking the cue, Ghost Pop flew to the third floor and passed through the door as the possessors returned to their armored forms.

She quickly found herself in a viciously familiar room. She chose not to take any guesses-

"What took you so long?" a voice asked, "I didn't think you would be transformed by now!"

Ghost Pop recognized the voice. "Uh, actually, let me-"

"Ew! Wh-what's that smell?!"

"Eh heh heh! Gomen gomen!" Ghost Pop concentrated. "It's just something I picked up! Now can you please let me explain?"

"Hai hai."

Ghost Pop explained to the voice and told it everything that had happened so far. Once caught up, the voice sounded concerned.

"So you're only part of Pop-chan?" the voice asked, "And you don't know anything Pop-chan did after you were torn-"

"Sliced off," Ghost Pop corrected.

"Arigatou. –sliced off?" the voice continued.

"Hai."

The voice sighed. "Then we'll just have to set a trap for Pop-chan then!"

"Eh?"

"It'll be easy! Just let _me_ explain!"

Ghost Pop frowned. She did not like what this ghost had to offer very much.

* * *

Pop grunted as she was blown back. The Witch she was fighting, Cecil, the Witch of Taste, was proving to be much more of a challenge than she thought. The barrier was easy enough to traverse, but that all changed when she engaged the Witch. Already, Pop had several cuts and bruises and at least one entire section of skin torn off.

_At this rate,_ Pop thought, _I'm going to die for real._ She looked up at the Taste Witch as it prepared for another strike. _Demo ne…_ Pop took aim with her hose and fired a Fire, Sky, and Dark blast at it. "Tiro…Finale!"

The blast struck true and the resulting ball of fire fell to the ground. Landing at Pop's feet was the grief Seed.

"Yosha!" Pop picked up the Grief Seed and examined it while the barrier seemed to vanish around her. "One more bites the dust!" The red Ojamajo turned around and froze. The barrier vanished, but she was no longer in the mansion. In fact, she wasn't even in Majo Kai anymore. Instead, she recognized it as Mitakihara courtesy of the memories she had absorbed from earlier Witches. "Nani yo? What's going on here?"

A distorted giggle alerted the pink-haired girl to the monster's presence. She turned around and saw the Witch floating just above the ground and preparing another strike. In her hands, Pop felt the Grief Seed disintegrate. A small note fell out.

Try again.

Pop looked in disbelief. Had this Witch been toying with her all along? This is…This isn't the first time it's taunted someone like this. She had seen it do this right before-

Pop dodged quickly, narrowly avoiding being struck by its tentacle-like eye. She then quickly activated the Dark energy, formed it into a blade, and wasted no time in slicing the end of the appendage off.

The Witch recoiled from the attack. It took little to no time to for it to recover, but by then Pop had summoned her broom and flew up to the Witch's face and began slicing relentlessly. It wasn't doing the trick as evidenced by the Witch continuing to attack.

Pop drew back out of its reach and prepared another Fire, Sky, and Dark blast. The Witch made one final attempt on Pop's life just as she launched her attack.

In seconds, the blast enveloped Cecil in flames and darkness. Pop descended slowly as the Witch finally burned to death and dropped its real Grief Seed. The barrier surrounding Pop finally vanished...

* * *

"Minna-san?" Shadow Doremi asked.

Shadow Doremi, Shadow Hazuki, and Shadow Aiko had been debating on what to do. They thought about simply turning themselves in and letting Pop suck them up. But with Black Queen confirming that she had her eye on them every other time, they had to find some other way.

At the same time, Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop were busy adding their input thanks to their telepathy. They had suggested ideas on what to do but always found themselves at the same impasse that the others were at: Black Queen's occasional surveillance.

"If it's about going up to Black Queen-sama and asking her to stop spying on us, then forget it," Shadow Aiko spat, "She isn't doing it."

_And I really don't want to feel guilty anymore!_ Shadow Hana cried.

"I think we know you're guilty after the millionth time, Shadow Hana-chan," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "Can you please stop going on about that?!"

_Gomennasai…_

"Shadow Hana-chan? Shadow Pop-chan?" Shadow Doremi addressed, "Do you know how Light Pop is doing?"

_We don't know!_ Shadow Pop replied, _Last we saw of her, she was running down the hall…and then _we_ had to run when that Witch got out of her room!_

Shadow Doremi frowned, especially since she had the feeling that Black Queen had resumed her surveillance. "Keep an eye on Light Pop. We can't make the same mistakes as our Light Halves."

"And we won't," Shadow Hazuki said defiantly, "They're loose-cannons right now anyway. Why would we repeat _their_ mistakes?"

_Pretend to make them but spite them instead?_ Shadow Pop joked.

All of the other Shadow Ojamajos face-palmed.

* * *

Pop stood in the now-brightly lit room. The she was still in the room gave Pop a moment of peace; she was still in the safety of the lit areas and away from her undead friends and ghost half. But now wasn't the time to relax. She had to see to her wounds and continue trekking on the next floor. And with the Light medallion, she was going to capture her ghostly other and figure a way to become whole again without resorting to being ghostified or magic.

The red Ojamajo gave the room one last look and decided to use it as a base within the mansion. She smiled and left out the door. Moments later, she was going through the ruined door that now led up to the second floor. She took a deep breath and entered the dark hallway, wasting no time in activating her flashlight and going on the defensive.

She came to a door; more specifically, the same door she passed on her first trip on the second floor. Pop took several glances before reaching into the bag and pulling out some keys. One by one, they failed to open the door. She was down to one left when she felt the air grow unnaturally cold. The pink-haired girl quickly put the bag and keys away and braced herself. But no one was there when she turned.

"Over here!" Ghost Pop playfully called. Pop turned her head in the direction of the voice but saw nothing. "Oh, gomen ne, Living Me!" At once, Pop felt several sets of eyes on her back. She turned around and saw her floating right in front of the door to the stairway. Her right armguard was missing. "That was a pretty low move you did there, Living Me! You could've killed me!"

"I know," Pop replied, "And I'm sorry. I feared you were going to be eaten by that Witch."

"Well, I guess I can forgive you since you expressed regret for unleashing that thing." Ghost Pop waved her unarmored hand, gesturing to her minions. They separated from her and returned to their usual forms. "These five are the only ones left; Possessor Misaki died giving me a boost to escape." Ghost Pop gave a sad frown. This was mirrored by her minions. "You see, I didn't just make my minions look like our boyfriends."

Pop only stared in disbelief at what she was hearing. _What does she mean 'didn't just make them look like our boyfriends'?_

"When I made them, I used my memories of our boyfriends to give them shape and personality. All of it was based on what we knew of them. They're not just mooks to me…they're all we can have now and I wanted some way to remember them. But Misaki-kun is gone and there aren't any more wraiths for me to catch and transform…

"And I think you've got the Light medallion now and, since we're Dark-based, we won't stand a chance. My minions and I are ready to be sucked up."

_Wow. This easy?_ Thought Pop, _Must be my- Wait! This is _too_ easy. In fact, this is _EXACTLY_ the kind of plan I'd use!_ Pop grit her teeth. "What are you trying to pull?!"

Ghost Pop tilted her head quizzically but quickly developed an angered expression. "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

Pop aimed the Vac-Drive at Ghost Pop and her minions and prepared to activate her new Light energy. "Get ready, Ghost Me!" Pop said defiantly, "I'm going to-"

Pop suddenly noticed the Vac-Drive take on a dark aura. She threw it off in a panic and stared at it with horror as it began moving on its own. At the same time, the Possessors returned to being Ghost Pop's armor. The red ghost gave a smug grin.

"I almost didn't think you would fall for it," Ghost Pop giggled.

"Tell me, Pop-chan: What happened to the wise and mature girl whom your class admired?" asked another voice.

Pop recognized that voice and, after putting two and two together, realized why she had fallen for it. She spun around to the source and found herself facing someone who she now did not want to face. Floating before her was the ghost of Onpu Segawa. And like her friends, she too sported a glow with a brighter pair glowing eyes; the glows were purple in her case.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto," Pop chanted under her breath.

"I admit, I did aid your ghost half in formulating this, but I have to ask: What's happened to you to cause this foolishness and-?" Onpu glanced at Pop and then at Ghost Pop. "Never mind."

"I'm not saying anything! Time stop!" Pop shouted.

To Ghost Pop's and Onpu's surprise, time froze. Pop had only a moment to look at their looks before realizing she only had so much time to escape. Wasting no time, she guessed that the door she blew open earlier was her only way out and went around Onpu straight towards that room. She made it in seconds flat, but found it full of chairs, recliners, and sofas.

Pop nearly gave up hope when she noticed the charred frame of another doorway. The door was still there, but there was the chance she would be able to send it plummeting into the other room…thereby allowing her to return to the safety of the first floor. Once again, Pop made haste and set about kicking at and tackling the door.

She succeeded. But no sooner than she did, her spell wore off. The door fell off its frame and landed with an audible thud. At once, Pop summoned her broom and flew straight down and made it to Hazuki's still-lit room just before Onpu and Ghost Pop could catch her. She breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"That…was too close!" Pop remarked.

"Oh, Living Me," Ghost Pop began. The room suddenly began to darken, forcing Pop to the door in a panic. "Did you really believe this floor was safe?"

Feeling her heart skipping a beat, Pop immediately opened the door and fled just as Ghost Pop fully entered Hazuki's room and plunged it into darkness. Pop immediately headed for the double doors but chanced a glance back. Behind her was a rapidly encroaching wall of darkness, the only thing visible in it being several pairs of glowing red eyes and one pair of glowing purple eyes. At once, Pop went through the doors and flew up to the balcony overhead. She opened the door and then closed it just as the parlor beyond started darkening.

She wasted no time in going to the short hallway and entering the far room. She quickly mounted her broom once more and prepared to blow through the glass window. The room darkening right before her eyes forced her to take the chance before she was truly ready. She took several new cuts from the broken glass and very nearly tripped, but she made it. At once, Pop descended and entered the remains of the kitchen and made hast toward the dining hall and finally out into the lit hallway. She took no chances and entered the indoor swimming pool and then made her way into the storeroom.

_This is it,_ Pop thought as she slid into a narrow hole in the crates,_ If they find me in here, then...Gomennasai, minna-san…_

Pop waited for the inevitable. It didn't take long as the room darkened and the temperature plummeted.

"Okay, where are you?" Ghost Pop asked.

"I keep telling you, Pop-chan, "Onpu replied, "Your living half has escaped us for the moment."

Pop heard her ghost half groan. "But she has to be in here!"

"Let it go, Pop-chan. Just let it go." Pop bit her lip at Onpu's statement. "I'll rendezvous with Hana-chan and then we'll free Hazuki-chan. Ok?"

"Do you know what she tried to do to…them?" Ghost Pop cried, "I won't forgive her for this!"

"She'll be willing to apologize for her mistake, Pop-chan. You will just have to roll with it."

"Demo ne-!"

"Think about it, Pop-chan: With all four of us after your living half, and how small and linear this mansion is, we'll have her before you even know it!" Onpu's tone was very sinister. Pop had to hold her breath in to avoid gasping and revealing her location. "I'm leaving now, Pop-chan. Take care."

Pop didn't know if Onpu had really left or not. For all she knew, the purple ghost could very well still be in the room, aware of Pop's presence and but simply toying with her. Indeed, had Onpu and Ghost Pop skipped the chit-chat, then she would've lost for sure. The thoughts hurt a lot, but they were starting to seem like an ever worsening nightmare that becoming more and more real by the moment.

"Well, I guess that's that then, huh guys?" Ghost Pop said aloud. Her talking snapped Pop out of her stupor. "Onpu-chan is right; we would have more luck with all four of us hunting her down. But first, we're going to have to free Hazuki-chan and then-" Pop waited to hear the rest of it. The fact that it was still dark in the storeroom proved she was still there. "Misaki-san. Misaki-san. Misaki-san! Gaaahhhhh I can't believe it! He's all by himself up there and we ditched him!"

Pop blinked twice. _She's bursting out over leaving one of her minions?_

"I just hope he'll forgive me for leaving him like this…" Ghost Pop said sadly.

The temperature began returning to normal right when the light returned to the room. Sure enough, Ghost Pop had left, leaving the red Ojamajo free to get out of her hiding spot. No sooner that she did, Pop hastily went over to Hazuki's room and got out the All-in-one. She knew she had to give Majo Toron the bad news one way or another.

She did. Majo Toron was shocked and horrified about the turn of events. Without the Vac-Drive, Pop stood no chance against any of her ghostified friends or the Witches. At the same time, the Shadow Ojamajos could simply waltz on in and capture her just like she did with Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko. Fortunately, Majo Toron was able to lighten the mood by giving Pop the information she got from the two captured Shadows.

"So they used a device they took from Majo Isabelle to turn my friends into ghosts?" Pop asked.

"You heard me right, Pop-chan," Majo Toron replied, "And if I can figure out how to reverse it, I can probably turn them back to normal!" Majo Toron gave a depressed sigh. "But you'll have to get the Vac-Drive back first or you'll never defeat them."

Pop's heart sank. That device her Shadow was holding back when she first ran into them in the mansion was the key to her friend's fate. If she had realized its importance then and there, knocked that device out of Shadow Pop's hands, and sucked it toward her, she would've been able to have Momoko and Aiko back for sure.

"I…I will get it back…somehow," Pop finally said, though her words were dripping with fear and doubt.

"I hope so, Pop-chan. Majo Toron, out," Majo Toron replied. True to her word, the communicator clicked off.

Pop crawled dejectedly onto the bed and allowed her tears to stream. In her mind, it was utterly hopeless. The Vac-Drive was in their possession, the lit areas could do nothing to stop Ghost Pop, and the Shadow Ojamajos could simply come in and kill her. She still had her magic, but she was of a lower level then they were and there was only one of her against the four of them. And the Shadow Ojamajos were still at large; they could come in at any time and turn her into a ghost if they so pleased.

"I…I don't think…I don't think I can win like this…" Pop muttered sadly to herself, "Minna-san…Onee-chan…I know I've said 'I failed' before…but this time, it's for real…

"Majo Toron can't act easily with a broken leg and Shadow Ruka only has so much strength…but they'll be massacred if they come in…Nobody else even knows what's happening here…thus, no one is coming…

"I'm all alone here…at their mercy…with no way out…"

Pop buried her head in the pillow before finally crying out.

"Why?! WHY?! WHY DOES EVERYTHING KEEP GETTING WORSE?! WHAT DID I DO TO DESREVE THIS?!" Over the edge of the bed, Pop noticed the mirror she used to fight Hazuki with. It was shattered. "Seriously? It can't be just that!" Pop got up and whipped out her poron. "Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto. Repair the mirror."

Pop's spell did the trick, but it did nothing to lift her spirits. All she saw was her reflection staring back. It reflected an aged and battle-scarred young girl who had been through far too much already. The fresh cuts were evident and the older ones were quite likely going to leave scars. She set it on the countertop.

"What's the use?" Pop asked herself, "I'm by myself, I can't fight them too well like this, and I can't beat the Shadow Ojamajos…Maybe it really is best for me to become a ghost?"

_Even though you'll be throwing away everything you've worked for?_ a voice asked.

Pop's eyes went wide with shock. She did not know who this voice belonged to. And yet, it sounded so familiar. Why?

* * *

**A/N: I really got into this chapter. And once again, I have taken a page out of "Sweetie's Mansion" with the turn of events.**

**Some of the scenes here were intended for earlier chapters.**

**Please read and review.**


	15. Voices

**A/N: Warning! This chapter contains violent content that should NOT be read by a minor. Reader discretion is advised. Seriously, it's very depraved stuff. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Voices-

* * *

It was quiet in the sanctum. Shadow Doremi was pacing back and forth while Shadow Aiko and Shadow Hazuki were lounging around and trying to figure out what to do next, respectively.

"I can't take this anymore!" Shadow Aiko finally burst out, "There's gotta be something we can do!"

"We can always go up and nab Light Pop," Shadow Hazuki sarcastically replied, "Otherwise, Black Queen-sama will catch us and, well, you know the rest."

Shadow Doremi paused before Doremi's portrait. "I have an idea, but we'll need to be really sneaky."

"How sneaky? Sneaky sneaky?" Shadow Hazuki mocked.

Shadow Doremi shook her head. "Much more than that, if we are to get past Black Queen-sama's occasional surveillance."

All three Shadows face-palmed. They were going to pay dearly for this scheme if Black Queen ever found out.

* * *

Pop's blood ran cold. That voice sounded familiar, but at the same time, she swore she had never heard it before. But the strangeness was still there, and it didn't seem ready to fade.

The voice had a strange, almost motherly feel to it. It definitely did not belong to Doremi.

_Hmph! If you're just giving up, then why the hell are you even here anyway?_

That voice. It was not the same motherly voice from before. It was laced with aggression, but was still familiar nonetheless.

"Wh-who are you? Where are you?" Pop half-shouted, "Please!"

_Whoa, no need to burst out!_

The voice was different again. It sounded tomboyish, but it was again familiar.

_Why are all these voices so familiar?_ Pop mentally asked herself.

_Because we got most of our memories, that's why!_ The aggressive voice retorted.

Pop's blood turned to ice. The voices could hear her every thought. "I'll ask again: Where are you!?"

_Please don't be mad, _the motherly voice replied, _We're all in your head._

"So I'm hallucinating?"

_In a way, yes_, the tomboyish voice answered,_ I guess it's because you felt like you needed someone around and your brain took stuff and made us._

_More like brought us back to life in your body!_ The aggressive voice sarcastically added.

"I've heard your voices earlier," Pop said, "But where…" Pop thought hard, and in a split second, recalled the intense memory surges from when she entered barriers of Candeloro, Ophelia, and Oktavia von Seckendorff. She had it right there on the tip of her tongue. "You! The motherly one! You're Mami Tomoe, aren't you?"

_Why yes_, the motherly voice, Mami, replied.

"And you! The tomboyish one! You're Sayaka Miki, aren't you?"

_You got it!_ the tomboyish voice, Sayaka, replied.

"Which means you're Kyoko Sakura, right?"

_Who did ya think I was?_ the aggressive voice, Kyoko, deadpanned.

Pop couldn't believe it. She was speaking with three fallen Puellae Magi right there in her own mind. At least, that's what it seemed like.

"So then, let me get this straight," Pop continued, "If you came from those memory surges, then why are you waiting until now to show up?"

_You can't expect us to form instantly, can you?_ Sayaka replied.

"…" Pop stood silently for several moments. She was skeptical; not only did three entities come out of the blue from her mind, but now they were trying to talk with her. Adding to that was the fact that the Sayaka voice hadn't given too much of an excuse. Unfortunately for the red Ojamajo, these illusions were the closest things to companions she would have for the time being. At once, she fetl reminded of what her real friends had been turned into…

_Like I said,_ said Kyoko, _If you're just going to stand there and sulk, you may as well give up now._

"You know as well I do that I can't do that," Pop bitterly replied.

_We're in your head, genius._

"The point is-!" Pop took a deep sigh. "The point is…I promised myself I wouldn't give up, no matter what happened." Pop looked around; she quickly face-palmed. "Ok, I'm really starting to freak myself out here. If I don't have a way of speaking to you _in person_, then how do I feel…oh, what's the word?"

_Comfortable?_ Sayaka asked.

"Thank you." Pop shook her head and stepped forward. A sound like cracking glass from her feet stopped her immediately. She looked down and noticed that it was the mirror she used to trigger Hazuki's weakness. Cracks radiated out from she stepped on it. "You can't be serious!"

_You have magic and plenty of magical spheres left._ Mami interjected, _Why not repair and use it?_

Pop pondered about whether she should follow the Mami voice's advice. Finally, she conceded and brought out her poron.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Fix the mirror!"

Pop's spell did the trick. With a puff of smoke, the mirror fixed itself. Pop picked it up to inspect it, but instead of seeing her reflection, she saw Mami, who smiled sweetly.

_The mirror really worked! You can see us now!_

Pop smiled and nodded. She had three companions in her head that she was now able to see. "Demo ne, why does only one of you appear at one time?"

Pop blinked once, but the image changed suddenly into the appearance of Kyoko. _There ain't enough room for all of us to be talking at once. Seriously, you're head's only so big, kid._

_Now, now, Kyoko-chan,_ Sayaka replied, _No need to be so blunt…_

"Kyoko's right, Sayaka," Pop conceded, "I can only channel so many thoughts at once." Pop put the mirror away and stared at the door. "I wonder…"

_Go for it,_ Mami said encouragingly, _She must have a means of tracking your device down!_

Pop immediately got out the All-in-One and activated it. As usual, Majo Toron was on the other side.

"Oh?" Majo Toron stared back in surprise. "I certainly didn't expect another message so soon!"

"Majo Toron-san?" Pop began, "Do you have a way of tracking down the Vac-Drive?"

Majo Toron dejectedly hung her head. "Gomennasai, Pop-chan."

Pop's blood ran cold. Already, all signs were pointing toward Majo Toron making what could easily be the worst mistake of all time. If confirmed, then Pop feared she would suffer a self-induced concusion.

"I really am sorry, but I didn't think I would have to have been replaced and at was all on short notice!" Majo Toron continued, "If it's any consolation, then I guess I could tell you that the scans are detecting several powerful ghosts in the second floor corridor right after the stairs leading up to it."

"Just what I needed: An ambush. Excuse me for a moment." Pop set the All-in-One on the bed and walked over to the wall. Moments later, Pop was repeatedly slamming her head against it. When she was done, she collapsed to the floor.

"POP-CHAN! POP-CHAN!" Majo Toron shouted, "DAIJOUBU? POP-CHAN!"

Pop recovered and wasted no time in retrieving the All-in-One. "I'm…fine…Just fell to the-ugh…"

"Pop-chan, please! Don't do that again!" the inventive witch urged, "Remember: Any injury you take is going to stick."

"I'll remember it…"

Majo Toron let out a sigh. "I'll see if I can-Oh! I-I think I've found out something!"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me: Did the Vac-Drive have any elemental energy in it when the ghosts took it?"

"Well, yeah, demo ne, what does-?"

"If I shift the scans a bit, then it can detect elemental energy! And right now, it registers elemental energy in your room and in another room on the second floor!"

Pop's eyes went wide. "C-can you tell me exactly which room it is?"

A silence followed. Finally, Majo Toron gave her answer. "It's located in the room you pass after making the turn. Considering the damage to the room next to yours and the rooms above, you should be able to get to it, no problem!"

_And with all these keys Hazuki-chan left me,_ Pop mentally added, "Perfect!"

_So what are you waiting for?_ Kyoko asked,_ Go get it already!_

"Please wait, Kyoko-chan!" Pop retorted.

"Nani?" Majo Toron replied in confusion, "Kyoko-? Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Not really, but it's all I got right now."

"If you insist. Good luck!"

And with that, Majo Toron cut off communications. Pop now had to think on what to do about the upper floors. She would have to search out which keys opened which doors before proceeding and only if she got the time needed. Unfortunately, her magic could only keep time frozen for so long and she had the nagging feeling that it simply won't be enough.

Eventually, with the aid of the voices in her head, Pop came up with a plan. And no sooner than she did, she enacted it.

First, she froze time and managed to reach the second corridor. By then, the spell wore off and she found herself unable to search her keys without alerting the ghosts to her presence.

"Are you sure we can do this?" asked a voice. Pop instantly recognized it as belonging to Onpu.

"Hazuki-mama is still trapped in there!" replied another. It was Hana's.

"Then what are we waiting for?" a third voice, Ghost Pop, retorted, "Let's set her free!"

Pop tip-toed over to the corner and tried to get a better look. There they were: Hana, Onpu, and Ghost Pop. And the former was as much of a ghost as the others. Not surprised, the red Ojamajo found her gaze drifting down slightly and seeing that they had surrounded something: The Vac-Drive. Pop held back her surprise and decided to eavesdrop.

"Alright, you two," Onpu began, "Pop-chan, I'm a little disappointed that you didn't have your minions free Hazuki-chan."

Ghost Pop sighed. "That doesn't matter now, Onpu-chan."

"Yeah!" Hana chortled, "The sooner we set Hazuki-mama free, the sooner we can go after your living half!"

Onpu nodded her head. "Pururun Purun Suzuyakani!" Onpu chanted.

"Pipitto Purito Hogarakani!" Ghost Pop chanted.

"Pororin Pyuarin HanaHana Pii!" Hana chanted.

"Magical Stage!" All three shouted. "Free Hazuki-chan from the Vac-Drive!"

Pop looked in discontent as the powerful spell penetrated into the Vac-Drive. It didn't destroy it, but it started vibrating violently. The next thing that happened was Hazuki's ghostly form bursting out from the hose and immediately stretching.

"Minna," Hazuki said timidly, "Gomennasai gozaimasu."

"'Gomennasai gozaimasu' isn't going to cut it with what you pulled, Hazuki-chan," Onpu said with disappointment.

"Please give Hazuki-chan one more chance, Onpu-chan," Hana said innocently, "She just didn't-"

Hazuki gestured for Hana to cease talking. "Onpu-chan's right, Hana-chan. I helped Pop-chan when I should've been helping all of you." The orange Ghost straightened her glasses. "I will fix my mistake."

"If the rest of us don't do it for you first," Ghost Pop joked.

All four giggled somewhat, the sight of which bringing a tear to Pop's eye. Even though they were now ghosts that were bent on making her one of them, they still acted roughly the same as they usually did, right down to comforting and joking around.

_But what's really going on in there?_ Pop mentally asked, _Is this really what they're doing, even on the inside?_

_There's one way to find out,_ came Sayaka's voice.

Pop debated on whether or not she wanted to pull out the All-in-One and scan them for their thoughts. On one hand, she could get an answer to her question. On the other hand, she risked drawing their attention and getting turned into a ghost. In the end, her answer would have to wait. Right now, she needed to get out of there. One more peer around the corner revealed that the Vac-Drive was once again possessed by one of Ghost Pop's minions. She promptly drew her poron.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto," Pop whispered, "Time stop."

Her whispering didn't matter much at all. The music coming from the poron was loud enough to alert the others; they were just about to come around the corner and get her just as the spell took effect. Pop wasted no time in going down the hole at the far end of the hall and returning to Hazuki's old haunt.

When the spell wore off, Hazuki, Hana, Onpu, and Ghost Pop floated over to where they heard the tune come from.

Onpu chuckled. "I guess our little friend is feeling a little brave, isn't she?"

"Ooh! Ooh! Hana-chan knows! Hana-chan knows!" Hana squee'd, "Can Hana-chan do it? Can she?"

* * *

From outside Hazuki's old haunt, Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop were watching the rose-haired girl as she debated about what to do.

"This is disturbing," Shadow Pop deadpanned, "Look at her, talking to that mirror like it's her only companion!"

"Maybe this whole ordeal really is too much for her?" Shadow Hana guessed.

The two Shadows had been keeping an eye on the red Ojamajo. Indeed, they had followed her up and eavesdropped on the other ghosts, using their natural abilities to keep themselves concealed.

"There was a day when I would've loved to see Light Pop snap and go insane," Shadow Pop reminisced, "But now that I see it, I feel kinda bad. Of course…"

"Yeah," Shadow Hana replied, "_That_ happened. And none of us have really been the same ever since."

"_Shadow Hana-chan? Shadow Pop-chan?_" came Shadow Doremi's telepathic call, "_Can you come down here? I think we're going to need your help!_"

"_Coming!_" Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop telepathically replied. Both Shadows quickly and quietly left the premises and used the shadow of a table to warp back to the sanctum.

* * *

"Why would they want to do that?!" Pop demanded.

_That's how mind control works, kid,_ Kyoko replied, _Believe me. That was one of my powers. Hell, you're even capable of it too! …although…_

"Don't remind me."

Pop couldn't believe what she was hearing. Kyoko's voice had said that mind control required some part of the victim to be willing in order to work. She had even brought up several examples, such as when Onpu used forbidden magic to make people do what she wanted when she first met them.

"But it can't be right!" Pop griped, "Would they want me to be a ghost?! Their real selves helped me fight and defeat their ghost selves!"

_That is true, but since when have they shown loyalty to higher powers?_ Kyoko replied, _Let's rewind a little, starting with Momoko: She baked you cookies because that's what she would've done in any scene._

"Yes, and? If I may recall, she tried to kill me and turn me into a ghost."

Kyoko's voice chuckled. _Which means a small part of her had given up and didn't want you to be alive by yourself. And it remained even when she was trying to warn you._

Pop grit her teeth.

_Then there's Aiko. Going by your memories, she and Momoko are in a relationship._ Kyoko's voice waited for a retort from Pop. When it got none, it continued. _ So naturally, when she learned you beat Momoko, well, a large part of Aiko would've wanted to punish anyone who hurt her girlfriend and the rest is history._

"Then why did Ai-chan suddenly able to fight back?"

Pop felt a grin coming from thin air. She knew then that it belonged to Kyoko.

_None of her wanted to kill you that brutally. Unless _you_ have something else in mind?_

Pop dropped to her knees in despair.

_Your ghost half is pretty much willing, so we'll skip her. As for Hazuki-_

"Hazuki-chan had the Light medallion," Pop explained, "It allowed her to ignore whatever's making them do this until her resolve failed."

_And now she's up there conspiring to turn you into a ghost._ Kyoko's voice turned serious. _And with your Vac-Drive stolen, the others could've easily lost hope in you saving them._

"But I have to try! If I don't, then-!"

_We know you're predicament, Pop-chan,_ Mami's voice replied, _But that's why you're amazing: You won't give up no matter what happens. And that will allow you to save them despite all odds!_

Pop got off her knees and clambered onto the bed. Her mind was filled with self-doubt. She didn't know if her determination would be enough to save everyone. Already, she was tired and could likely collapse at any moment, after which it would be too late to save the others. She had to keep going, but would it really be worth it in the end?

"If I'm to go up there again, I'm going to need more information," Pop surmised. She quickly got out the All-in-One and called up Majo Toron. "Majo Toron-san?"

"Ah, again? I guess the trip up to the second floor was a success?" Majo Toron inquired.

"No. They still have it, but I'm planning to make a second run up there. If you could-"

"I'm on it!"

Pop kept the channel open, but only silence came out. Finally, Majo Toron replied.

"I cannot get a reading!" Majo Toron shouted, "The entire second floor! It's being cloaked somehow!"

"It has to be them then. I saw them doing Magical Stage and I believe they heard me escaping. They must know what I'm planning!"

"Then you mustn't go up there! If I can't detect anything, then it's a trap!"

"If I stay here, then they're going to come down and get me sooner or later. I barely escaped last time, and I doubt I'll escape again!" Pop stopped talking long enough to catch her breath. She didn't notice how heavy it had become. "I promise I'll stay safe, Majo Toron-san. And I promise I'll try and get the Vac-Drive this time!"

Before Majo Toron could voice her protest, Pop cut off the transmission. She then stared at the burnt doorway with uncertainty. Already, her resolve was wavering, but she had to press on. But she knew her ghostified friends would expect her to come from there, so she had to refer to another route. Thankfully, there was and, ironically, it was the path that would've been the most obvious. And she had to chance it if she was to regain her Vac-Drive.

She knew she had to spend as little time as possible. To that end, she mounted her broom and flew straight to the stairwell, dismounting it and putting it away only when she reached the door. Swallowing hard and drawing her poron and flashlight, Pop opened the door…

* * *

The corridor was just as dark as it had ever been. Even so, Pop was in no position for confidence and never will be until got what she came here for. At the same time, she hoped she would be able to save Hazuki again along with the others in one fell swoop. But she didn't know if she would be able to pull that-

"Pop-chan!" shouted a voice.

Pop froze at once. She slowly turned around to face the source.

"Hana-chan?!" Pop gasped.

And sure enough, there was the white Ojamajo, floating just before her, smiling sweetly. She glowed white and her eyes glowed an even brighter shade of the color. Pop frowned at the pattern repeating itself.

"Mmhmm! Hana-chan's so glad you could come up here and- Woah!" Hana blinked twice in surprise. "Mama's weren't kidding! You really have become old!"

"Thanks for noticing," Pop bitterly replied, "So what now? You're here to turn me into a ghost and help Ghost Pop reunite with me?"

Hana shook her head. "Nah. Hana-chan isn't interested."

Pop raised an eyebrow at that. "Eh?"

"You heard Hana-chan." Hana's smile widened. It was no longer the smile of an innocent girl. "Hana-chan thought it would be better to just kill you instead!"

"N-nani?!"

"Pororin Pyuarin HanaHana Pii!" Hana chanted, "Axes, come out!"

A burst of smoke emerged from Hana's spell, and from out of it came two large axes. Hana, using ghostly telekinesis, hefted them into the air and prepared to strike.

"Hana-chan only wants to make you end!"

"No…Nonononono!" Pop was taking steps back as Hana advanced on her. "This…This isn't you!"

"Hana-chan loves you…Which is whyyyy yoooou shouuuuld dieeee!"

Pop went with her better judgment and ran for it. Rounding the corner, the red Ojamajo made a break for the ruined doorway and managed to enter it. Now all she had to do was-

"Going somewhere?" Hana said, suddenly appearing before the burned doorway, "Hana-chan wouldn't like that at all, would she?"

Pop saved her reply and shined her flashlight on the ghostified Ojamajo. This only elicited a series of giggles from her.

_Why do I keep forgetting that?!_ Pop mentally berated herself.

Instead of continuing her mental rant, Pop ran out of the room and back down the hallway, dodging a strike from the still-pursuing axes. This time, she didn't round the corner and instead opted for the door, the first one after the stairway door. It was locked, forcing Pop to pull out her bag of keys and rummage through them.

"Come on, come on, come on!" Pop mumbled feverishly as she tried one key after another, Come on, come on, COME ON!"

As she continued her desperate attempt, the rose-haired girl turned and faced behind her. Hana was clearly toying with her, given how slowly she was approaching.

"You can run, Pop-chan, but you can't hide!" Hana playfully taunted.

Her eyes widening, Pop returned to the task at hand and finally the door opened. She wasted no time in getting through the door and then shutting it. She then locked it, knowing that she the axes wouldn't be able to pass through it.

Calming down slightly, Pop took in the room. It seemed to be a cross between a dining room and a bar. However, there were no plates; the only fine china there was were cups. Two tables were placed longways in the middle of the room. Finally, shelves holding the fine china were on either rside and there were windows overlooking the courtyard. From what could be discerned, the room was clearly for having tea.

A knock at the door snapped Pop out of her stupor.

"Little witchy, little witchy, let Hana-chan in!" Hana said in a sickeningly sweet tone.

Her panic reinstating itself, Pop hid under table furthest from the door.

"Not by the hair on your, uhm, what's the right word in your case, Pop-chan?" Hana-chan said, "Hana-chan's confused." Pop, still shaking from the oncoming storm, didn't answer. "Oh well, Hana-chan tried. Pororin Pyuarin HanaHana Pii! AK-47, come out!"

Pop's blood turned to ice. "Oh, no she didn't, no she didn't, no she-"

"Say hello to Hana-chan's little friend!"

At that moment, the sound of machine gun bullets bursting through the door was the only sound to be heard. Pop covered her ears from the awful noise, but to no avail. The sound of shattering glass and china quickly became part of the horrible noise. It ended just as suddenly as it began.

"Time for Hana-chan's main eve~ent!" the white Ojamajo said in a sing-song voice.

Immediately, she followed by repeatedly striking the door with her axes. And with the earlier damage from the assault rifle, the door stood no chance and was quickly broken down after just a handful of swings. Once a large enough hole was made, Hana threw the axes and gun through it, though the gun went too far and flew out the window. No sooner did the weapons cross it, Hana phased through the severely damaged door, complete with a huge, demented smile plastered on her face.

"Here's Hana-chan!" Hana cackled, "Ooh! Ooh! You wanna play hide-and-seek! Hana-chan would love to play with you!"

At some point, Pop had gotten out the All-in-One in hopes of scanning Hana with it, but she feared that it might not matter in the end. The whole thing really was a trap and that they had decided that she wasn't worth joining them as a ghost anymore.

Hana telekinetically throwing the tables to the far wall half-snapped Pop out of her stupor.

"Found you!" Hana chortled, "Now we can play a new game!"

Pop didn't answer. Instead, she felt herself crawling away from the psychotic ghost girl while she herself advanced further on her. In no time at all, the red Ojamajo found herself against the other wall's shelves and cowering before the white Ojamajo.

"How should Hana-chan kill you? Should she cut off your head? Ooh! Ooh! Can she? Can she? Can sheeee!?"

Hana didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she raised both axes and prepared a swing that would most certainly kill the rose-haired girl. Pop stared at Hana in sheer terror tears beginning to streak down her face. And then…Hana swung…

…and threw both axes to the side.

"Teeheehee," Hana laughed.

Pop continued to stare at the white ghost in terror.

"Heeheeheeheeheehee! Hahahahaha!"

Finally, Pop recovered, but now looked at the ghostified Ojamajo in confusion.

"OHH, you –HAHAHA!- You should've seen the look on –Heeheehee- On your face!" Hana chortled.

"Wh-wh-what-?! The hell do you mean!?" Pop demanded. Her left eye began twitching.

"Don't you get it? Hana-chan played a joke on you! Would she ever hurt you like that?"

At that, Pop's mind froze. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. It had been a joke? Some kind of sick practical joke?! It was unbelievable. And the red Ojamajo felt that if anyone else had somehow witnessed it, they too would find it unbelievable.

"You…think this is funny!?" Pop yelled. Hana stopped laughing and gave a look of bewilderment. "How could you do something like this?!" Venom was now the only thing in her voice. "How could you not fight this?! How could you-?!"

Pop didn't finish her sentence. Instead, she ran past a dumbfounded Hana and out of the room, tears streaming down her aged face. And in the hallway, she ran past Onpu, who chose not to attack her. It didn't take long for her to make it down the stairs. And moments later, she was on the bed, burying her head in the pillows.

* * *

"Hana-chan?" Onpu asked indignantly, "What did you do?"

Hana just floated there, her mind still in a daze from Pop's words.

"Hana-chan!"

"Eh! G-g-gomen ne!" Hana replied, "Etto ne, Hana-chan just…eh heh heh!"

Onpu just shook her head. "Hana-chan…you've done many good things in the past." Hana beamed at the statement. "You've entered Majo Tourbillon's heart and helped awaken her." Hana beamed even more. "And you've even helped out against the Shadows, among others." Hana shook with pride. "Demo ne, this. Is. Not. ONE OF THOSE _THINGS_!"

At that, Hana's sense of pride and her beaming vanished. She shrunk away from the purple Ojamajo.

"If anything, any progress of getting Pop-chan to give up and become a ghost just got erased because of you!"

A tear of white ectoplasm emerged from Hana's eye and fell to the floor. "Gomennasai! Gomennasai! Gomennasai! Gomennasai! Gomennasai!"

"Apologies won't help, Hana-chan," Onpu said rather bluntly, "You have a lot to think about."

With those words, Onpu vanished, leaving the white ghost to herself. She looked at the spot where she had cornered Pop. She then looked at the destroyed door. Finally, she drifted to the floor and began weeping in disgrace.

* * *

Pop got off the bed. She no longer knew what to do anymore. Hana clearly didn't fight her ghost self and had apparently decided to aid it in hurting her. But what was she thinking? She didn't honestly believe that this kind of control needed a willing part of the victim to be effective! At least, that's what she kept telling herself.

The rose-haired girl kept quiet in the room. And yet, the voices didn't return. She was alone once again. And again, she let the tears slide down her face. If there was anything she could do to at least have _some_ benign company, then she would do it. She begged to herself repeatedly, but nothing happened.

She then noticed that her left eye was still twitching. She moved her hand to it and rubbed it, but all that accomplished as drying the tears there. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't stop the twitching.

* * *

**A/N: I was going for as realistic a reaction as possible during the Pop/Ghost Hana scene. Said scene was inspired by a pic I found on DeviantArt. If you didn't like it, then I'm sorry. But it's that kind of fic.**


	16. Straining the Unstable

**A/N: I would like to thank a reader for pointing out a perfectly good plot that I would've wasted. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Straining the Unstable-

* * *

The Onpu, Hana, Hazuki, and Ghost Pop were staring at the door. It had been sealed shut and effectively erased by a wall of steel.

"So this is the door that leads to the balcony, right?" Ghost Pop asked.

"H-h-ai," Onpu shakily replied, "A-and I ju-ust bare-ly-ly m-m-made it away f-from those things!"

"Are they really that deadly?" Hana inquired.

"They're the ones eating the wraiths," Ghost Pop explained, "Between Living Me and those things, it's no surprise there's hardly any wraiths left here."

"But why haven't they tried breaking through?" Hazuki added, "And why are they gathering there in the first place?"

"Hana-chan wishes she knew," said the white ghost, "And she wishes she didn't pull that mean prank on Pop-chan…" Hana shed a tear. "Can Hana-chan try and-?"

"No," Onpu rebuked, "What's done is done and going back to change it will just cause more problems."

Hana nodded in agreement, though there was reluctance mixed in as well. All four continued to stare at the sealed door, sporting anxious looks as they did.

* * *

Pop mulled about the room. What happened just moments ago was far more than she would have ever wanted to take. First, Hana comes out of nowhere and expresses an interest in killing her instead of turning her into one of them. Then, she tries to kill her by being as violent as possible. And then she has the nerve to call it a joke.

It was no wonder her eye wouldn't stop twitching.

"Why…?" Pop mused sadly, "What did I do to deserve this…?"

She reflected on what had happened ever since she came to the mansion. So far, everything had been going from bad to worse and showed no signs of letting up. And even when things were starting to look up for her, it always ended up in the opposite direction. Indeed, she had every reason to be frustrated. But right now, Pop was trying to muster the courage to go back upstairs and take back the Vac-Drive.

Nothing of the sort was even coming to her.

Ultimately, she was alone in saving her friends and was now literally at their mercy. She had the nagging thought that Hana had asked the others to let her pull that stunt and not interfere until then. All that thought led to was the fact that there was now nothing to stop them from coming to get her. And since her ghost half was already capable of ignoring the bright lights and even protecting the other ghostified Ojamajos only made things worse.

Pop crawled back onto the bed. "Maybe if I…" Suddenly, her eyes went wide and became filled with resolve. "If they think they can turn me into a ghost, they have another thing coming!"

Pop immediately got up. No sooner than she did, she felt her strength leaving her. In moments, the red Ojamajo had fallen into a deep sleep.

* * *

In the Magic Research Center, Majo Toron was busy analyzing a small contraption. She had just finished it, but she wanted to be sure it was truly complete.

"Working on anything important?" Shadow Ruka inquired.

Majo Toron calmly turned her head to the Shadow Witch. "Yes. And when this is done, it will make things a little bit easier for Pop-chan!"

"Don't you mean 'should'?"

"No. I'm _certain _it will help her…if only by a little bit."

Shadow Ruka sighed. "Whatever floats your boat. Oh well." She turned toward the door leading to the cell containing Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko. "I wonder what our guests are up to?"

"Doing the –ugh!- nasty?" Majo Toron shuddered at the thought. That experience had been burned into her mind as a scene she likely had no interest in seeing, despite what it really was. "If you want to ask them anything, then by all means. But I don't think we're getting any more out of them."

Shadow Ruka shrugged. She then walked over to the door, entered through it, and then stopped before the cell door. There was nothing to be heard, prompting the Shadow to open the grated window and see for herself. What she saw was surprising.

There they were, sharing the cot and sleeping peacefully. Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko had apparently decided to pass the time and get some shut eye. And yet, the two Shadow Ojamajos looked much too happy for that to have been the case. Shadow Ruka got the feeling that something else had happened while no one was looking. A few more glances about the room revealed that they had taken off their boots, gloves, and hats; everything else was apparently still being worn underneath the covers.

Giving an aggravated sigh, Shadow Ruka left them alone and closed the window.

* * *

Pop walked feverishly down the twisting, stony corridor. The time for giving up had long since passed, but she didn't care. The red Ojamajo had vowed to save her friends and she was going to go through with it, no matter what happened to her.

In mere moments, she was at the final door. Using a brightly colored key, Pop undid the barrier protecting it and burst in. The room was the sanctum of the Shadow Ojamajos, their base of operation, their HQ, and anything else that could be similarly identified. Waiting for her was Shadow Doremi herself; and like usual, she was looking very smug and full of herself.

"So you finally made it, haven't you?" Shadow Doremi mockingly asked, "I guess I could spare some compliments, but that just wouldn't be me, would it?"

"Can it, Shadow Doremi!" Pop shouted, "Just make it easier on yourself and surrender!"

Shadow Doremi smirked at first…until she noticed the Vac-Drive and the fact that Pop had been pointing the hose at her the entire time. She knew what could come out of it and, for once in her life, made the wise decision.

"Ok, ok, ok! I give! I give!" the pink Shadow stuttered, "I'll set your sister free too! Just don't hurt me!"

Pop smiled. She had done it. Even as she thought this, Shadow Doremi was undoing the spell that trapped Doremi in the painting. Once that was done, Doremi fell to the floor and landed in a pile of herself.

"Ow~!" Doremi groaned. She quickly recovered and got up. "What took you so long, Pop-chan?"

"Onee-chan!" Pop cried. She ran up to her now-free older sister and gave her a massive hug. "I…I thought you would be a painting forever…or worse!"

"It's okay now, Pop-chan. What matters is…you've done it! You've saved us all!"

A tear was brought to Pop's eye. On the outside, Pop was always condescending toward Doremi but secretly envious and admiring of her. To get such recognition reinforced the latter feelings and brought them to the surface. But for now, they would leave this empty room and return to the Mahou-Dou, where everyone was waiting with a well-deserved celebration.

It didn't take long to make it there. Even if the moon wasn't smiling down, it was more than possible to leave Majo Kai and make it to anywhere a passage to the realm existed. But for now, they were in their favorite magic shop.

"I just want you to know, Pop-chan," Momoko said, "That we're sorry about trying to kill you and make you a ghost."

"It's okay, minna-san," Pop replied, "I don't blame you."

"Arigatou, Pop-chan!" the Ojamajos replied.

"Now we can begin!" Aiko exclaimed.

"But first," Hazuki interjected. She and Onpu grabbed Pop's arms. "A surprise!"

"Eh? Wh-what are you doing?" the red Ojamajo gasped. She tried to pull away, but the two girls had a firm grip.

"Giving you the surprise," Hana replied. She then turned to Doremi, who held a rod with a claw on it.

"Th-th-this can't be right! This h-has to be some kind of joke!"

"It will be after we're done," Doremi replied.

It was then that Pop noticed it: The eyes of the Ojamajos were glowing with their respective colors. She looked on in horror as the room darkened and as Doremi continued her approach. At the same time, the girls removed their skin and revealed themselves to be ghosts; every single one of them. Pop continued her struggle, but to no avail.

"It's okay, Pop-chan," Doremi said reassuringly. Her mouth had curled into a menacing grin while she took aim with her clawed rod. "It'll all be over soon…"

"No…No! **NOOOOO!**" Pop screamed. It was the last thing she did right before Doremi tore her soul out of her body…

* * *

"**NOOOOO!**"

Pop woke up with a start. It was just a nightmare; likely one that was just warning her never to fall asleep in this mansion again until she was finished. Still, she was breathing heavily from its intensity and therefore tried to relax.

Pop attempted to cover her mouth as she yawned…only to discover that her arms were pinned. She gasped as her eyes shot open. Glancing around, the rose-haired girl saw that her arms were wrapped by the bed sheets not unlike how they were when she first met her ghost half. At the same time, even though the room's lights were on, the room itself was almost pitch black, leaving the lights as little more than faint embers. Her blood turned to ice as she began to panic.

"Wakey wakey, Living Me!" chortled a familiar voice. Pop's blood turned to frozen nitrogen when she realized who it belonged to. "Took you long enough!"

"G-G-Ghost Pop!?" Pop gasped.

"Don't forget us, Pop-chan!" came another voice.

Pop turned her head around the room to the source of the new voice and quickly discovered it to be Onpu's. Onpu and Ghost Pop weren't the only ones with her; Hazuki and Hana were there too.

"So you're all here then," Pop surmised, "Decided to come in and get it over with, didn't you?"

"You read my mind, Living Me," Ghost Pop said, "Read it like a book!"

"But why didn't you just rip my soul out when I was still asleep? It's a better opportunity than right now, isn't it?"

"We could have," Onpu replied flatly, "But that wouldn't have been very nice of us, wouldn't it?"

Pop was about to give a retort, but Hazuki spoke up first. "To elaborate, you wouldn't have known you lost until you awoke. We wanted to reunite you and your ghost half while you were awake."

"And we've decided that Hana-chan, Hazuki-mama, and Ghost Pop will do it together!" Hana added happily.

Pop bit her lip. Here she was, once again at the mercy of her ghostified friends and with nothing to hope for. This time, she really had lost, and it was now time to face the music. She was going to be turned into a ghost and would have to live out the rest of her existence as an undead phantom. If there was a bright side, then the red Ojamajo was refusing to see it.

"Are we ready?" Ghost Pop asked impatiently.

Hazuki and Hana nodded. At once, all three of them raised their right hands and then plunged them right into Pop's chest. The three ghosts gave each other one final look. This was it. They were going to do it. And once done, they were going to do the same to the Shadow Ojamajos, if only to have more than just themselves in the mansion.

Pop felt them clench their fists inside her. She closed her eyes in sorrow, awaiting the expected and forceful yank that would tear her soul out…

* * *

Just outside the room in the brightly lit hallway, Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop were watching the scene unfold before them.

"_This is bad, Shadow Doremi-chan!_" Shadow Hana yelled telepathically, "_They're going to extract Light Pop's soul and then it'll be over!_"

From the sanctum, Shadow Doremi had decided to use her own magic to view the situation. "_We don't want it over yet. You and Shadow Pop-chan need to interfere as long as possible!_"

"_Eh?!_" Shadow Pop griped, "_Go against Black Queen-sama's orders?!_"

"_They're a bunch of loose cannons anyway,_" Shadow Hazuki said dismissively, "_If they're not going to do things the way WE want them to, then we WILL make them!_"

"_F**k yeah!_" Shadow Aiko shouted, "_Finally an excuse to get off my ass and get moving!_"

"_Alright then, we'll do our best!_" Shadow Hana replied.

"_Do your best at what, may I ask?_" came the voice of Black Queen, "_Need I remind you of your place in this?_"

"_Black Queen-sama, those Light Ojamajos will try to turn US into ghosts next if they get Light Pop now!_" Shadow Doremi begged, "_If they do that, then we won't be able to escape when THEY come after us!_"

Black Queen chuckled. "_Are you certain that will be the case?_" she mockingly asked, "_You do know the punishment for insubordination, do you not?_"

"_I don't care! We're stopping them right now and I won't let YOU stop US!_" Shadow Doremi waited for a reply or for Black Queen to appear. When nothing happened, she counted her blessings. "_Okay, you two! Time to be some big damn…uh, anti-hero/villains? Nevermind! You ready?_"

Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop didn't give a reply. Instead, they burst into the room just as Hana, Hazuki, and Ghost Pop were going to tear out Pop's soul.

Shadow Pop sent a wave of her magic right at the three ghost's arms. It didn't hurt them, but the surprise caused them to release their grip on Pop's soul. Shadow Hana quickly followed up with a spell and forced the Possessors animating the bed sheets out. The two wraiths resembling Fumio and Tatsuya flew out and returned to being part of their mistress' armor. And while this was happening, Pop was staring in surprise at the turn of events.

"Okay, this is unexpected," Onpu said, slightly surprised.

"You crossed a line, you four!" Shadow Hana retorted, "Light Pop, now's your chance!"

Pop, dumbfounded, stared at Shadow Hana before untangling herself and getting out of the room and into the safety of the lit areas. And to make sure she did so, Shadow Pop gave her some cover and managed to prevent Ghost Pop and Ghost Hazuki from going after her.

"Oh well, look on the bright side," Ghost Pop said wishfully, "I guess we can now see if you Shadows can be turned into ghosts or not!"

"You won't get the chance!" Shadow Hana shouted.

"Stay close and plug your noses, minna-san!"

Hazuki, Hana, and Onpu grinned and did as Ghost Pop instructed. Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop saw an opportunity and began their attack. Just before they could fire, they were overwhelmed by an incredible stench the likes of which they had never experienced before.

* * *

Pop pressed onwards. If there was any time to find and take back her Vac-Drive, it was now. She didn't know why the Shadow Ojamajos were helping her, but she couldn't be bothered to give it any thought at the moment.

She rounded the corner in the second floor hallway and quickly came face to face with a locked door. She grabbed the bag of keys and began trying them one by one. She had no time to be thankful.

It didn't take long to find the right key. Pop entered no sooner than she did and quickly scanned the room. It was, in essence, a copy of Hana's room, though it had to exclude the spiral ladder that normally led down to the hallway in the Mahou-Dou.

At the far end was some kind of contraption that resembled a massive, deconstructed wheel. And at the base of the bed was…the Vac-Drive! Two Possessors, resembling Misaki and Kazuhiro, were floating above it. They noticed the red Ojamajo and immediately took action: The Misaki Possessor took over the Vac-Drive while the Kazuhiro Possessor did the same to the wheel-like contraption. The latter device seemed to reconstruct itself and, to Pop's horror, assimilated the Vac-Drive. All of this happened well within the space of time that Pop could've cast a spell in.

"You can't be serious!" Pop shouted in anguish.

* * *

**A/N: This I had meant to use a perfectly good plot that was pointed out by a reader of this fic in this chapter. Unfortunately, the planning and scenes didn't allow for it. However, I will use it eventually, rest assured.**


	17. Dual-Front Battle

**A/N: If the last chapter was disappointing, then I will make sure this one makes up for it. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Dual-Front Battle-

* * *

Pop stared in disbelief at what the two Possessors had done. Animating and controlling the Vac-Drive was one thing, but merging it with a wheel-like construct was, to put it mildly, crude. Still, she had to fight them if it meant getting her best weapon back.

The red Ojamajo drew her poron, but then the Possessed Vac-Drive/Wheel Machine got on its side and spun at a tremendous rate. Pop was dumbfounded once again but snapped out of her stupor when bits of wood and carpeting began flying in all directions. She dove to the side, using the bed as cover to escape the barrage. It was then when she realized that the Machine was drilling a hole in the floor.

In seconds, a massive hole opened up underneath it, allowing the Machine to plummet into the room below. Noise not unlike crates being smashed quickly made its way up, alerting all who could hear it. Immediately, Pop left the room and made her way toward the door to the stairs; the sound of a wall being smashed and shaking the mansion stopped her.

She glanced at the stairway door and the previously-hacked at door. "I think…I think it'll be easier if I take _that _route!" Pop muttered to herself. She slipped through the large hole in the door and into the large room behind it. After summoning her broom, Pop took aim with her poron. "Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto! Erase the window!"

Pop's spell did the trick, and the window vanished in a puff of smoke.

* * *

The battle between the ghostified Ojamajos and Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop raged on. But it wasn't going well for the two Shadow Ojamajos; they had been brought to their knees by the powerful stench that Ghost Pop was exuding and were gasping for fresh air. They looked up at the four ghosts who were now gazing at them with looks ranging from anger to confusion.

"Shadow Hana-chan…?" Hana asked, "Why are you helping Pop-chan get away? Hana-chan thought you _wanted_ us to be ghosts?"

"Change…*gasp*…of plans…*gasp*…Light Hana…"Shadow Hana chokingly replied.

"Demo ne-?"

"Will you Shadow Ojamajos please make up your minds?" Onpu demanded indignantly, "First, you turn us into ghosts, and now you're stopping us from finishing what you started?!"

"We'll do what we want, Light Ojamajos!" Shadow Hana spat. She fought through the stench and sent a blast of Shadow magic at the foursome. Hana replied with a blast of magic of her own. The two collided and were evenly matched, quickly canceling each other out. The white Shadow bit her lip. "N-Nani yo-!?"

"Oh, didn't Shadow Hana-chan know?" Hana playfully asked, "We're even tougher as ghosts!"

"We were going to turn you and the others into ghosts after we transformed Pop-chan," Hazuki explained, "But I guess we could turn you two…um…early?"

"Never!" Shadow Pop yelled defiantly.

Ghost Pop smirked. "Pipitto Purito Puritan Peperuto!" She sent a blast of magic at Shadow Pop. The red Shadow replied with one of her own. And, like with Hana and Shadow Hana's attacks, they canceled each other out. "Nice try, Shadow Pop!"

"Tch!"

"Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu!" Hazuki chanted. A beam of her magic struck Shadow Pop in the back, knocking her senseless.

"Pururun Purun Famifami Faa!" Onpu chanted. She fired a beam of her own. Shadow Hana tried to deflect it, but Hana fired another blast of her own, nulling the Shadow's defense and knocking the white Shadow for a loop. "Arigatou, Hana-chan!"

Shadow Hana looked at the white Ojamajo in disbelief. Hana looked at the white Shadow with disappointment.

"_Shadow Doremi-chan!_" Shadow Hana telepathically called, "_I don't think…I don't think we can actually win here! They're too strong!_"

In the sanctum, Shadow Doremi heard every word. "Shadow Ai-chan. Shadow Hazuki-chan."

"Hai?" they both replied.

"You two go help Shadow Pop-chan and Shadow Hana-chan."

"What about you?" Shadow Hazuki asked.

"Someone has to stand guard and make sure nothing happens to Light Doremi's portrait. If it's destroyed, then Light Doremi dies!"

"Whatever you say, but I was going up there anyway!" Shadow Aiko spat, "I need to blow off some steam!"

Shadow Doremi nodded as the two melted into the shadows. Moments later, the Shadow Aiko and Shadow Hazuki were appearing in the darkened room. At once, they each fired a beam at Onpu and Hazuki, respectively. The beams passed harmlessly through them, though the attack still surprised them.

"Nani yo…?" Shadow Aiko said in disbelief, "In that case, how about this!?"

Shadow Aiko leapt up at Onpu, her fist sheathed in Shadow magic. The purple Ojamajo simply smirked at the action, anticipating what was next. The blue Shadow swung as hard as she could…only for the attack to once again harmlessly pass through the ghostified Ojamajo.

"Silly Shadow Aiko," Onpu taunted, "Everyone knows you can't beat a ghost in a fist fight!" She chuckled. "But I can certainly hit _you_!"

Onpu grabbed Shadow Aiko's arm and threw her right into the wall, knocking the wind out of her. The blue Shadow got up, but was quickly knocked down by a swift kick to the face. This was followed by Onpu stabbing Shadow Aiko in the back with her poron.

Meanwhile, Shadow Hazuki was having serious problems of her own.

"I really miss the days when you were scared of ghosts, Light Hazuki," Shadow Hazuki groaned. She dodged a beam from her ghostified Light Half.

"Gomen ne, Shadow Hazuki-chan," Hazuki replied, "But _you_ were the one who helped me finish overcoming that phobia!"

Shadow Hazuki loosed another beam at Hazuki. However, the ghost just floated there while the beam passed through her, again having no effect. The orange Shadow bit her lip; she enjoyed having the advantage when the two fought. Being on the receiving end was…different.

"Kuso," Shadow Hazuki muttered.

A massive noise like something huge impacting with the ground echoed throughout the halls, catching everyone off guard. The mansion shook, and the lights began flickering. A door in the hallway burst right off its hinges and cracks appeared in a trail on the wall. It then it all stopped as suddenly as it began; the lights were dimmed slightly, however.

No sooner than the shaking stopped, the battle resumed. Onpu picked up the wounded Shadow Aiko and threw her out of the room and into the halls; the blue Shadow left spots of blood on the carpeting from her injury. Hazuki disarmed Shadow Hazuki and telekinetically threw her into Shadow Hana just as she was about to raise a barrier against one of Hana's attacks. Both were blown clear out of the room by the resulting blast…and the ghostified Ojamajos began approaching them. Shadow Hazuki lifted Shadow Pop and quickly went after them.

"Stay close," Ghost Pop warned. Her presence alone was again creating a short-range barrier against the dimmed light of the hallways.

"I have a better idea," Onpu replied, "Pururun Purun Famifami Faa! Short out those lights!" Her spell encircled the lights in the halls and immediately caused them to blow themselves out, blanketing the halls in darkness. "See? Much better!"

At once, the three ghostified Ojamajos left the darkness emanating from Ghost Pop and entered the natural darkness that now flooded the hall; they intended to fight the Shadow Ojamajos without being limited to Ghost Pop's presence.

"Oh…yeah?" Shadow Aiko retorted, albeit straining against her wound, "How about this?!" The blue Shadow waved her Shadow poron and immediately conjured a Blue Shaker. "Who said we…needed that machine to make these…Wraiths!?"

Hana smirked and glided up to the newly created Wraith. It glanced over at Shadow Aiko in confusion.

"Don't just float there! Smash her in!" Shadow Aiko ordered.

The Blue Shaker shrugged and immediately raised its hands. But just before it could strike the white Ojamajo, she caught the attack and actually held it in place. In surprise, the Blue Shaker tried to wrench its arm free but Hana's grip was too powerful.

"How rude," Hana chortled, "Hana-chan will have to punish you for that!" At once, the white Ojamajo drove her free hand right into the large Wraith, making it gasp in shock. Seconds later, Hana quickly drained and absorbed the now-screaming monstrosity into herself. Once she was finished, nothing remained of the Wraith.

The Shadow Ojamajos looked on in horror. "H…How…?!" Shadow Hazuki said in shock, "H-How is that…possible?! Y-You n-never demonstrated that power before!"

Hana looked over toward the Shadow Ojamajos. "Look what Hana-chan can do!" At that, she raised her own arms and then dove right for Shadow Aiko. The blue Shadow shut her eyes…

…and was pulled out of the way just in time by a freshly-recovered Shadow Pop. But Hana's attack impacted with the ground, creating a small shockwave that managed to catch the two Shadows anyway and created a rather large dent in the floor.

Down below in the sanctum, Shadow Doremi looked up just as a few rocks fell from the ceiling. She grit her teeth, knowing full well what would happen if it ever caved in. She looked at Doremi's portrait, pondering what to do. If she hadn't been through those events already, then she would easily have left the imprisoned Ojamajo to die; that was no longer possible for her. She knew she had to act fast, for the ceiling could end up coming down on her at any time.

Meanwhile, the Shadow Ojamajos were busy scampering out of the way of Hana's newly powerful fists. Everything she struck shattered like glass, including walls, doors, and even spells sent flying her way. Things were bad before, but now they were worse.

Shadow Hazuki was trying to take aim and use a spell to restore the lights, but her ghostified Light Half wasn't giving her that chance. She first knocked her Shadow poron out of her hand and then struck with a swift kick to her face. She quickly followed up with telekinetically slamming the orange Shadow against the ceiling; she fell to the floor with a loud thud just as Hazuki drove a diving kick right into her back. Shadow Hazuki stumbled back up, clutching her left eye; blood-stained shards of glass from her spectacles fell to the floor as she did so.

Things weren't much better for Onpu and Shadow Aiko. Between the bleeding hole in her back and Onpu's relentless and powerful attacks, the blue Shadow was barely getting anywhere. But she had seen what Shadow Hazuki was trying to do and got an idea of her own. She steeled herself for Onpu's next round of attacks and, when the purple Ojamajo made a diving kick, Shadow Aiko swiftly evaded and fired a spell at the lights.

It did the trick; the Shadow Magic went against its nature and repaired the fixtures. Immediately, the halls were bathed brilliant light. Onpu tried to shield herself from it, but it was too much; she froze in place. The Shadow Ojamajos, weary from the fight and barely standing, looked on with pride.

"YES!" Shadow Aiko shouted.

Onpu wasn't the only one who had been stunned; Hana and Hazuki were caught off guard by the sudden flash and found themselves unable to move as well. But thanks to her minions/armor, Ghost Pop wasn't affected. And if she got close enough to them, her barrier would end the stunning.

Shadow Pop chuckled. "This…is one way we're still better than you…Light Ojamajos!" she said defiantly.

"You absolutely need the dark to keep moving whereas we don't," Shadow Hazuki continued.

"And now all we gotta do is-!" Shadow Aiko began, but was cut off.

Ghost Pop decided now to put her own plan into motion. Immediately, two of her Possessors returned to their normal forms and proceeded to expand her barrier. It managed to encompass Hazuki, freeing her from the light and allowing her to move once again. Not even one second later, it encompassed and freed Hana too.

"I don't think so!" Shadow Aiko shouted. She tried another spell to make the lights even brighter, but Hana reacted quickly and used a spell of her own to force the blue Shadow into close proximity. "Wahhh!"

The Shadow Ojamajos lost sight of Shadow Aiko as she was dragged into the barrier by Hana's magic. Shadow Hazuki used her own magic to try and pull the blue Shadow out. She succeeded, and Shadow Aiko was pulled out, stunned and wide-eyed.

"Th-thank you," Shadow Aiko stammered.

It was short-lived; the expanding barrier encompassed Onpu right then and there. All three ghostified Ojamajos quickly went closer to Ghost Pop while the Possessors seemed to returned to being part of her armor; the foursome approached the shocked Shadow Ojamajos. Hana spoke first.

"Shadow Hana-chan?" Hana asked, "Hana-chan saved you from Black Queen's punishment by becoming a ghost." She inserted her hands into Shadow Hana's torso; the white Shadow seized up at the unearthly chill and began shivering from the spectral presence that was now poised to tear her soul out.

"Listen, Light Hana-chan!" Shadow Hana burst out, "I've been taking advantage of our blood deal for to long! You've saved one time too many!" She gathered her strength and began trying to oust Hana's hands. "This time…let me save you…from having to live like this!" The other Shadow Ojamajos shot their friend several looks of worry.

"But think about it," Onpu continued, "You will never have to work for Black Queen again. Being a ghost is this: Freedom. Freedom from everything!"

"That's…that's the feature of _that_ device talking!" Shadow Hazuki retorted, "So not a CHANCE!" She stumbled to her feet…and was knocked back to the ground by… "Sh-Shadow AI-chan!?"

And sure enough, it was her. She stood over the orange Shadow, glaring at her. Her eyes glowed red and something like a dark aura was emanating from her. "You should be more careful of who you trust." She chuckled. "It's hopeless for all of you, Shadow Ojamajos." Her voice was her own mixed in with the voice of Tatsuya…complete with a demonic undertone. "Just give up and let us turn you into ghosts. It'll be easier on all of you that way!"

_Possessed,_ Shadow Hazuki thought bitterly, _It couldn't have been more obvious._ She turned to Shadow Pop and Shadow Hana. "_This…really is hopeless…isn't it?_" she asked telepathically, "_We're really…going to see if we could become ghosts, aren't we?_"

Shadow Hana turned back toward her ghostified Light Half. She hadn't tried tearing out the Shadow's soul yet, but her hands were clenched inside her body. The two looked into one another's eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. Finally, Shadow Hana closed her eyes in defeat.

Shadow Pop stared a pleading look at the ghostified Ojamajos. "W-We can turn you back to good!" she begged, "We can make you living again! I-If you just let one of us go and get the device, we'll-!"

"No way," Ghost Pop retorted, "We don't want to haunt this mansion by ourselves! I mean, come on!" The red Wraith-armored Ghost closed the gap between herself and the red Shadow. "Just the seven of us? It will get too boring! Besides, when you join our ranks, you'll be able to play all the pranks you want without Black Queen to boss you around! It'll be perfect!"

Shadow Pop looked at Ghost Pop with horror. So this was it; they were going to be turned into ghosts right here and now. With Shadow Aiko possessed and Shadow Hazuki and Shadow Hana already resigned to this fate, it really was hopeless. The promise of endless pranks and an enduring existence for the rest of eternity did seem nice on paper, but living as one of the undead wasn't a kind fate in the slightest. But any and all choices may as well be rendered gone now; the ghostified Light Ojamajos weren't giving any options and weren't taking "no" for an answer.

Shadow Pop shut her eyes, expecting the inevitable.

Suddenly, a form materialized from the shadows and brandished a device; it looked like a remote with two antennae emerging from its top and had two knobs on the front. The figure could easily be identified as Shadow Doremi. And she quickly approached the ghostified Ojamajos.

"Don't move!" Shadow Doremi ordered, "I will-!" She was interrupted by the possessed Shadow Aiko grabbing her arm and throwing her into the wall and sending the device flying out of her hands. "That…could've gone better…!"

The pink Shadow quickly got up and made a break for the fallen device. Unfortunately, the possessed Shadow Ojamajo was too fast for her, grabbing Shadow Doremi by the neck and pinning her to the wall with strength that was unreal, even for her. The possessed Shadow Aiko smirked and waved her index finger in a "tsk, tsk, tsk" motion.

* * *

Pop wasted no time in gliding down to the courtyard, intending to confront the Wheel Machine and finally take back the Vac-Drive. She glared angrily at the Wheel Machine. "Give back the Vac-Drive!" she demanded, "Right now!"

The Machine, or rather the possessors animating it, seemed to snicker at the red Ojamajo's defiant glare. It immediately began transforming. The dual spokes on either side extended out and rapidly formed into claws. The hose of the Vac-Drive emerged on the left side and attached itself to that claw. The lower part of the Wheel split down the middle and then into two halves and began acting as a set of legs. All of this happened in less than three seconds, leaving the red Ojamajo with only enough time to draw her poron and mount her broom once more.

Pop bit her lip. _This is really not going to be fun,_ she thought, _But I have to. I need the Vac-Drive if I am to save everyone._

At once, the Wheel Machine let out a grinding screech and rushed the rose-haired girl. She flew up above it, dodging the lethal attack. But it was ready; it rapidly aimed the hose and fired a thick cloud of dust right at Pop. By the time she knew it was coming, it was too late; the dust cloud encircled her and sent the red Ojamajo into a coughing fit, rendering her unable to react when it grabbed her.

Next thing she knew, Pop found herself being thrown right into the ground. And before she could get back up, the Wheel Machine blasted her with another dust cloud. The red Ojamajo was sent flying a good ten feet by the blast, right next to the fountain. It let out another grinding screech and quickly rushed her again. Luckily, Pop managed to shake off the impact and rolled out of the way…just in time for the fountain to be reduced to rubble.

_Ok, this…this is _much_ harder than it should!_ she thought bitterly. She wasted no time in putting some distance between herself and the Wheel Machine while it recovered from its failed attack. Immediately after, Pop decided to chance it. "Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" she chanted. The Wheel Machine got back on its legs and suddenly reverted to its base form. It immediately followed up by rolling after her with incredible speed. Pop just barely leapt out of the way, but lost her spell and suffered a scrape in the process. "Give me a break!"

It changed back into its unfolded form in a split second and quickly fired another dust cloud at the red Ojamajo. Pop shielded herself with her arms only for it to have scored enough time to grab and throw her again. She landed next to the well and was thankful that she didn't _impact_ with it; she stopped being thankful when she saw it go into its base form again and roll after her. This time, she had more time ot get out of the way…and she succeeded just as the well was smashed to bits.

To her surprise, it kept going a ways before finally stopping and turning around. By the time it did, Pop had already mounted her broom and took flight. The Wheel Machine tried to flatten her again, but it was too late; Pop was already too far out of reach. She smiled with both relief and a level of smugness.

_It's in the bag!_ she thought, _It can't fly and I can easily dodge those dust clouds up here!_ Pop took aim with her poron. But just then, the Wheel Machine transformed again. This time, the claws lengthened and flattened out; the arms extended and raised the claws above its top. It rotated its wheel, which now opened at the top and arranged itself into a rear rotor while the hose extended out and took aim at Pop. The claws began spinning…and the whole thing ascended like a helicopter. "You've gotta be kidding me! What kind of machine gains flight powers like this anyway?!"

The Wheel Machine didn't answer and instead began a series of rapid-fire dust cloud volleys at Pop. She quickly flew out of the way, but it was taking every bit of her concentration just to stay ahead of the machinegun-like barrage. And all the while, the powerful machine pursued the red Ojamajo, though it was far from graceful.

The majority of the dust fired was settling to the ground, but a lot of it still remained airborne, interfering with Pop's breathing and making things even harder than they already were. And the wind from the Wheel Machine kicking up the dust whenever it got near the ground just made things even harder. But the red Ojamajo couldn't do much about it as she was still busy with dodging more rapid fire blasts.

_Did I really suck in this much dust while capturing Wraiths and my friends?_ Pop mused, _Then I just gotta wait until all of it…is gone. _And just as Pop finished her thought, the hose ceased shooting her with dust clouds. "Speak of the devil!" she shouted triumphantly. It was short lived in that she saw the hose begin sucking it the dust. _Oh, come on!_ And then her eyes went wide with an idea. "Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" she chanted vigorously, "Take this!"

Pop fired a beam of magic right into the top of the Wheel Machine. That seemed to do the trick, as the impact caused it to being sputtering and sparked began flying from it. It crashed to the ground, landing in a heap that it now struggled to recover from.

"This…is the finishing blow! Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted once more, "Force the Possessors out!" The Wheel Machine had just got back up as the spell rocketed its way. It tried to bat it away, but the spell evaded and went inside through a gap. Something like an explosion rocked the machine and made it go into an uncontrolled spin before finally collapsing to the ground. At that time, the two Possessors flew out of the wreckage and, upon seeing Pop glaring at them, made haste and flew back to their mistress. "I…I did it! I got it back! I-!"

Pop stared at the now-smoldering wreckage and realized that this wasn't the time to celebrate. For starters, the Vac-Drive may as well be heavily damaged and then there was the fact that she would have trouble moving it as it is now. As such, the rose-haired girl decided it was time for a little call and pulled out the All-in-One. Majo Toron answered.

"Moshi Moshi?" Majo Toron asked, "Pop-chan?"

"Un!" Pop replied, "Great news: I've got the Vac-Drive back!"

"That's great! But before you go and try capturing anymore ghosts or Wraiths, I'd like to install something that'll prevent this from happening again. So if you would-?"

"Um, yeah, about that."

Pop proceeded to explain what had just happened. When she was finished, Majo Toron was practically beside herself in shock…at least, that's what could be discerned from the sound of her voice. Fortunately, Shadow Ruka agreed to assist in getting the remains of the Wheel Machine back to the Magic Research Center for the much-needed repairs.

* * *

"So what now?" Onpu asked, "Should we smash that device or add our Shadows to our ranks first?"

Shadow Doremi glared bitterly at Onpu. She was pinned to the wall, but the possessed Shadow Aiko wasn't strangling her; she still kept a close eye on the pink Shadow regardless. At the same time, Hana hadn't torn out Shadow Hana's soul yet and was now debating about what to do about the device.

Onpu, Hazuki, and Hana all knew that as long as the device remained intact, the threat of being turned back to normal lingered. However, if they ghostify the Shadow Ojamajos, then the odds will fall by a significant margin. And the ghostified Ojamajos want to add to their ranks more than anything at the current moment.

"Are you ready, Shadow Hana-chan?" Hana asked. Her grip on the white Shadow's soul tightened. "Just giving you the heads up."

Shadow Hana said nothing. Her mind was very much in a state of shock and hopelessness.

Suddenly, the Possessors resembling Misaki and Kazuhiro flew in quickly, blowing past Shadow Doremi and the possessed Shadow Aiko and returning to being Ghost Pop's armor. The expressions on their faces were rife with fear and failure and they were practically clinging and begging for mercy.

The possessed Shadow Aiko turned away from Shadow Doremi to see what the fuss was about.

"It's ok, you two," Ghost Pop comforted, "It wasn't your fault you failed. Living Me is just that tough." She glanced at Shadow Aiko. "Tatsuya-kun! Look out!"

The possessed Shadow Aiko turned just in time for Shadow Doremi to drive both feet into her stomach. Shadow Aiko was sent reeling back while Shadow Doremi swiftly retrieved the device. The possessed blue Shadow tried to intercept, but the pink Shadow spun around her and rushed toward Hana, device active. The white Ojamajo look at her with horror but Ghost Pop intercepted and blocked the device's power.

"If Living Me has the Vac-Drive back, then we might want to retreat before she comes in!" warned Ghost Pop.

Immediately, Hana released her Shadow's soul and flew into the ceiling. She was quickly followed by the other ghostified Ojamajos. Ghost Pop tried to usher the Tatsuya Possessor to release Shadow Aiko and flee with them but Shadow Hana conjured several metal straps that trapped the possessed blue Shadow. The red Wraith-armored Ghost shut her eyes in regret and flew up to the second floor corridor.

"Alright, we gotta get this thing out of Shadow Ai-chan," Shadow Hazuki pointed out. Shadow Aiko struggled to get free but, even with the Possessor forcing her to use greater strength, the metal bands weren't breaking.

"I…I think we're gonna need to use…Shadow Stage for this," Shadow Hana said, panting, "With all four of us."

The Shadow Ojamajos nodded and quickly dragged the possessed Shadow Aiko away. In no time, they had slipped into the shadows and returned the sanctum.

* * *

Majo Toron gazed slack-jawed at the wrecked Wheel Machine. From what could be discerned, the Vac-Drive had been firmly integrated into the contraption and had been severely damaged. The hose was burnt, the bag was ripped, and the machinery was missing. A closer inspection revealed that said machinery had been moved to a different area of the wreckage.

"They…really did a number on this, didn't they?" Majo Toron inquired miserably. Pop nodded. "You weren't kidding when you said it would need repairs…"

"At least we have it back now," Shadow Ruka replied.

"But now what?" Pop asked.

Majo Toron clutched her chin in thought. "I'll see what I can do. But for now, uh, do as you will."

Pop sighed. She had no idea how long it would take to get the Vac-Drive free of the Wheel Machine's remains and felt tremendous worry as a result. If it took too long, then she would never save her friends from being evil ghosts and, least of all, she would be stuck with a permanently aged appearance. But for now, she would be bored out of her skull while Majo Toron does her thing.

The red Ojamajo went over to Aiko's and Momoko's portraits and pressed her hands against them.

"_Ai-chan? Momo-chan?_" Pop asked.

"_WAAAHHHH!_" they both screamed in shock, causing Pop to withdraw her hands in surprise.

Pop, having been caught off guard by the reaction, quickly put her hand back on the portraits. "_G-Gomen gomen! I was just-!_"

"_It's ok, Pop-chan!_" Aiko replied quickly, "_Ya just caught us off guard is all._" She made a sound comparably to clearing one's throat. "_So…what's happened so far?_"

"_Well…_" Pop explained everything that had happened. As she did so, she felt the same emotions Aiko and Momoko were feeling, most notably surprise and bewilderment. The former turned into shock when she mentioned the Shadow Ojamajos saving her from being ghostified and allowing her to go after the Vac-Drive. Both were relieved and astounded that Pop was able to beat the possessed device and and get it back to be repaired. "_So here I am now. Is there anything else you can come up with that could help?_"

Pop waited for a while, but silence was the only thing that replied. Finally, Momoko broke the silence. "_Nothing's coming up, Pop-chan,_" she said sadly, "_Gomennasai._"

"_But there has to be something!_"

"_If there is, then it's all locked up,_" Aiko replied, "_And something tells me it won't come to us easily._"

Pop looked at both portraits in despair. Indeed, this may very well be all that the twosome could tell and there would be nothing that could be done about it. But still, she needed answers, but the only other source could very easily refuse or, worst case scenario, give false and misleading information. She closed her eyes in thought before finally replying.

"_Ok, I'll leave you two alone now,_" she said as she withdrew her hands from the portraits.

Pop decided she was going to take her time going to the cell holding Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko. After all, she needed kill time and possibly relax while waiting. She noticed something out of the corner of her eye; curiosity took hold and she reached down to pick it up. It was an enclosed letter addressed to, of all people, Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko and claimed to come from the other Shadow Ojamajos.

The rose-haired girl wasted no more time in getting to the cell door. Using her broom to provide more height, she opened the barred window and peered inside. Within the cell, Pop saw Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko, sound asleep and in relative comfort. Grumbling, the red Ojamajo banged loudly on the door.

"Wake up!" Pop shouted, punctuating her demand with one final strike.

Both Shadows woke up with a start; Shadow Momoko ended up falling off the cot and landed on the hard floor. Shadow Onpu quickly recovered from her daze and, upon seeing the yellow Shadow on the floor, glared angrily at Pop. The red Ojamajo's expression softened a bit but ultimately didn't let up.

"I have something for you," Pop said sternly. She produced the enclosed letter and slipped it through the bars. "It claims to be from the other Shadow Ojamajos." She watched as Shadow Onpu, still glaring, reached down to pick up the letter. She opened it and began reading it as Pop turned away.

"Wait!" Shadow Onpu called. Pop returned to the door. "If they want us to tell you, then I guess we should." The purple Shadow took a deep breath. "We used a device called the Ghostifier to turn the Light Ojamajos into ghosts. We secretly conned Light Isabelle into making it and then stole if form her when we raided her lair…again."

_Seriously? Ghostifier? _Pop mentally deadpanned, "I guess that explains what happened to Majo Isabelle." She glanced at Shadow Momoko. "But weren't _you_ calling me out on using Majo Isabelle's tech?"

Shadow Momoko shrunk away from Pop. "She was opposed to using the Ghostifier," Shadow Onpu continued, "I was the one who ghostified Light Onpu and Light Momoko." She noticed the scowl Pop now wore. "And I impersonated Light Rin to lure you guys to the mansion! There! Happy?!"

Pop shot Shadow Onpu a look of contempt. _So that's why Majorin-san was acting strangely,_ she mused, _Demo ne, how did she- Wait! Nevermind! Onee-chan and Shadow Doremi used a similar tactic when they were merged._ The red Ojamajo's expression softened greatly. "I'm glad you confessed to what you did."

"Hey! I only did it because Shadow Doremi-chan doesn't want to continue the plan anymore. If I had my way, then I would've still kept it under wraps for attacking Shadow Momo-chan like that!"

"But how does the Ghostifier turn people into ghosts? And can it work on ghosts who weren't…ugh, converted?"

Shadow Onpu shot an incredulous look at the rose-haired girl. "In order: Yes, and no idea."

Pop's heart sank. She had no idea what she was going to do when she finally captured her Ghost half. Shadow Onpu not giving a straight answer wasn't helping either.

"Ok then. I'll go check and see if Majo Toron-san's done with the Vac-Drive. Thank you and…gomennasai."

And with that, Pop withdrew from the cell door and returned to the main room. Upon opening the door, she found Majo Toron right on the other side. She looked surprised.

"I was just coming in to let you know I've got fixed," the inventive Witch explained, "Come and see it."

Pop nodded and followed the wheelchair-bound Witch. On the other side of the scanner was the newly repaired Vac-Drive. New features had clearly been built into it and a small device now poked out of it. But the meters measuring how much Elemental Energy was still inside indicated nothing was left.

"It doesn't matter that there's no more energy left," said Pop, "I still have the Medallions right here, so I can just extract the energy and recharge it." She produced the seven Medallions as proof. "I didn't know if I could use them as they are, so I, uh…"

"What's done is done, Pop-chan," Majo Toron replied, "You need to get back to the mansion and finish saving them."

Pop nodded and left out the door.

* * *

"**SHADOW STAGE!**" the four gathered Shadow Ojamajos shouted. At once, their combined might surrounded the struggling and possessed Shadow Aiko and began to work on her. She let out a loud scream right before the Possessor controlling her was forced out. It took a glance at everyone; before they could react, it flew out through the ceiling and vanished.

"Minna-san…" Shadow Aiko began, panting, "Arigatou."

The Shadow Ojamajos then looked at the open space where Doremi's portrait was supposed to be hung. If it weren't for Shadow Doremi producing a miniature version of it and then returning it to normal size, the others would've sent her into hiding. But the pink Shadow put the portrait back on the wall where it belonged.

"Why did you take it down in the first place?" Shadow Hazuki inquired.

Shadow Doremi closed her eyes. "If I were turned into ghosts, then we would've returned Light Doremi to normal and then turned her into a ghost," she said, "In the event where they would begin tearing my soul out, I would've stopped time and returned her to normal myself. I'm sure she can hear us, so I filled her in on the plan and hoped she would agree."

Shadow Aiko shot her a warning glance. "And if she didn't?"

"It was a chance I had to take." Shadow Doremi looked back at Doremi's portrait. "Light Pop's really been through too much by herself tonight. I think she's at least earned something…and I do believe Black Queen-sama isn't looking too!"

The other four Shadow Ojamajos gave disapproving looks.

* * *

Pop's pace had been reduced to a slow walk. Part of it was because she now had to carry the Vaxc-Drive once again. The other part…was because of depression. And then she stopped completely and collapsed to her knees, sobbing.

_You've got the Vac-Drive back,_ Sayaka's voice said, _You can't give up now!_

"But what if I can't save them after all?" Pop replied, "What if-?"

_Please!_ Mami's voice ushered, _You're doing this for them! You mustn't give up! They're counting on you!_

_Yeah!_ Kyoko's voice continued, _Unless you really wanna let'em down, that is._

Pop decided to ignore the voices in her head. They were, after all, just figments of her imagination. All they could do was tell her things she already knew in some way. They may have helped her an hour ago, but now they've done all they can. It wasn't like-

_Pop-chan?_ Came a new voice. Pop recognized it, but quickly refused to believe its source. _Pop-chan? Pop-chan!_

_WHY?! Why does my head think I need so much comfort?!_ Pop mentally yelled.

_Demo ne, I'm not in your head!_ The voice urgently replied. _It's me! Doremi!_

Pop raised her eyebrow in suspicion. _Okay, if you're really Onee-chan and not another figment of my imagination-_

_You don't have to be so paranoid, Pop-chan, _the voice retorted, _Fuu, Fuunu, FUU!_

Pop's eyes went wide. She had _felt_ Doremi puff up her cheeks and make her signature snort. She was certain even her imagination wouldn't make that good of an impression of her older sibling.

_O-Onee-chan? I-It really is you, Onee-chan!_ A smile crept onto the red Ojamajo's face as tears of joy began streaming out of her eyes. _Gomennasai. Gomennasai. Gomennasai._

_Pop-chan, please!_ Doremi replied,_ I don't know how much time I have to talk to you! I don't know what they're planning, but I don't think the Shadow Ojamajos want to go through with it anymore._

_I don't think so either. But I cannot forgive them for what they've done to us tonight, which is why I have to make them pay._

_But Pop-chan-!_

_No!_ Pop shook her head. _Gomennasai, Onee-chan. I've…I've been through so much tonight. Too much…_

_It's ok. I'm here now…more or less. But anyway, I think I should tell you something I overheard. Something that Shadow Doremi's afraid of._

_Nani?_

_She said something about a "Walpurgisnacht" and that it was something Black Queen would love to see unleashed on Majo Kai._

Pop closed her eyes. She…knew what Walpurgisnacht was. Among the memories she absorbed from the Witches she had been fighting, Walpurgisnacht seemed to stand out above all others. And Mami, Sayaka, and Kyoko seemed to know a lot about it and how horrible such a battle was.

_I think I have an idea of what it is. And I think it'll form right here…in the mansion. I just hope I'm strong enough to stop it. But first, I'm going to save the others. I've already saved Ai-chan and Momo-chan._

Pop felt Doremi breathe a huge sigh of relief. _Then…good luck! I wish I could help you further, but-_

Her voice was suddenly cut off. Apparently, Black Queen had regained her surveillance and shut down whatever spell the Shadow Ojamajos used to allow Doremi to speak to her with. But her words had done the trick; Pop's resolve had been renewed. The other voices were right; the others were counting on her to save them, even if they didn't look or sound like it.

And with that, Pop picked up the pace and stormed into the mansion.

* * *

"_And, of course, I should thank you for blocking Black Queen when you did,_" Shadow Ruka said telepathically.

"_Yeah, yeah, whatever,_" Shadow Tourbillon replied through her own telepathy, "_But…I have to admit: It was really fun watching that worthless tyrant fume and tear her study apart when I shut off her surveillance._" A chuckle could be heard. "_The most fun I've had in a long time._"

Shadow Ruka grinned. "Yeah. I wish I could've seen her face…"

Both exchanged telepathic laughs at that.

* * *

**A/N: This really took time to finish. Between another fic I'm writing and the ideas I'm thinking about, I don't think the next story will be here until much later. Until then.**


	18. Kind Dealings

**A/N: Had to reread some chapters of this fic. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Kind Dealings-

* * *

"I sure hope she got the message," Shadow Pop said, "At least then your little stunt would be worth something."

Shadow Doremi sighed. "It was a long shot, I know," she replied, "But Light Pop needed to be cheered up and, considering all that's happened since _that_ incident, I was inclined to allow that."

Shadow Doremi sat down in her chair. At the table, her fellow Shadow Ojamajos sat in their own respective chairs, with only Shadow Onpu and Shadow Momoko missing. Shadow Hana and Shadow Pop were still noticeably hurt from their fight with the ghostified Ojamajos, as was Shadow Hazuki and especially Shadow Aiko. The latter had since applied a bandage to cover the massive wound the Onpu's ghost had left in her back while the former now had a large cloth over her left eye.

"Guys…" Shadow Aiko began, "I…I don't think we can keep an eye on Light Pop with these injuries."

"Are you kidding?" Shadow Hazuki retorted, "Of course we can't! I still have pieces OF MY GLASSES stuck in my eyeli- AGH!" The orange Shadow winced from the sharp pain around her eye. "DAMN IT!"

"It's not much better with me or Shadow Pop-chan," Shadow Hana added, pouting. She closed her eyes in thought. "Maybe…Maybe we do deserve to be punished for what we've done tonight…?"

Shadow Doremi gestured for the white Shadow to stop. "If we can't keep an eye on Light Pop, then she's on her own…for good. And if she gets turned into a ghost, then we're done for."

All of the Shadow Ojamajos exchanged looks of despair with one another. Between getting run over by their Light Halves and feeling powerless as a result, things simply were simply not going to look up for them any time soon. At this point, the best they could do was hope for the best.

* * *

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Restore the Vac-Drive's Elemental energy!"

Pop's spell did the trick; energy flowed from the Medallions and into the Vac-Drive, causing the meters to register maximum capacity.

She then carefully went around the circular carpet in the foyer. She knew what the chandelier above was going to do if she ever went under it and had no intention of springing that trap again. Thankfully, she was just outside of its trigger area and the chandelier never slammed on the floor. Wasting no time, Pop pass through the door and into the halls beyond, quickly arriving at the site of the battle.

To her confusion, the area was virtually untouched; the walls weren't cracked and the floor was as if nothing ever walked on it. Pop opened the door to the indoor swimming pool and found the room to be completely undamaged. Even the wall that should've been leveled was still intact. She then went into the storeroom and found the same thing: Everything being intact.

_I guess they like this mansion too much to let it be torn down…_ Pop thought.

With a sigh, Pop returned to the halls and made her way back to Hazuki's old haunt. But when she arrived, she found more repairs had been done. More specifically, the door was no longer off of its hinges and had clearly been reinforced with extra material. It wasn't sealed and hadn't been walled off, but its new look gave that impression. Pop took a wild guess and determined that Hazuki was waiting in there to fight her again.

_Seriously, Hazuki-chan?_ Pop thought to herself, _The same room?_ The red Ojamajo shook her head. _Of course…this is a copy of your room. You feel more comfortable here…so you fixed it and now want to make this your permanent lair. I understand…but I still must save you!_

Pop tried the knob. It turned easily enough, allowing the door to creak open…

* * *

Majo Toron leaned back in her wheelchair in frustration. She was at an impasse with a new device that she was certain had nothing to do with aiding Pop. Despite this, the inventive Witch still insisted on tinkering with it, if only just to pass the time. Her train of thought was interrupted.

"So you're just going to sit there and not aid Light Pop as much anymore?" Shadow Ruka inquired.

Majo Toron turned and faced the Shadow Witch. "What else is there to do? I can't simply call her up. What if I disrupt her concentration while she's catching a ghost and throw her off?"

Shadow Ruka looked as though she were going to reply, but the words never made it out of her throat. With a frustrated sigh, she turned away. And then she turned back with a start.

"Why not get to know those Light Ojamajos better? This is honestly the best time to!"

Majo Toron clutched her chin in thought. "I'm not exactly the social type."

"Well I'm pretty sure they'll help you out with your social skills."

Majo Toron wheeled herself over to the portraits and pressed her hands on them.

_Um, Aiko-san? Momoko-san?_ Majo Toron asked. A gasp from the imprisoned ghostified Ojamajos caught her off guard, but she managed to keep her hands on the portraits.

_Nani? Majo Toron-san?_ Aiko nearly burst out, _I swear we weren't-!_

_Don't worry about it, okay? I just want to get to know you better is all!_

_Oh. Gomennasai,_ Momoko replied, _ Ai-chan and I thought-_

_Don't worry about it? Um…?_

All three sighed. This was going to take a while to get used to…

* * *

It was dark in the room. Just as dark as when she first entered it.

Pop entered Hazuki's room to a surprising scene. There she was, floating around the room, trying to get the area organized.

"Now I know how Baaya-chan feels…" the orange ghost muttered. She paused suddenly before turning to Pop. "Ah! Gomennasai shimasu! I didn't think you would come here this soon!"

"You know why I'm here, Hazuki-chan," Pop said bitterly, "If you want to turn me into a ghost, then you'll have to beat me first!"

Hazuki hung her head. "I knew you would say that. Demo ne…I will give you one request before you're turned into a ghost."

Pop eyed the ghost suspiciously. "What are you trying to pull?"

Hazuki frowned. "I'm not trying to pull anything, Pop-chan. I just want to make your last moment as a living person nicer."

"That's assuming you actually beat me. Remember, I beat you once, I can beat you again!" Pop pulled out the All-in-One and scanned Hazuki. _Come on, Hazuki-chan! Speak to me! Please!_

After the description of Hazuki's ghost appeared, Pop waited for the orange ghost's thoughts to begin appearing.

_Pop-chan...do you still have that mirror?_

Pop nodded.

_That's good. But you need to know this: My ghost self is serious this time! She- I mean, I- will try anything to beat you! But I know you can beat me. Good luck!_

Pop nodded in resolve. "Get ready, Hazuki-chan," Pop stated, "Because I won't hold back!"

Hazuki smiled. It wasn't the smile of a young girl.

"Then let's go someplace else?" Hazuki didn't wait for a reply. "Paipai Ponpoi Puwapuwa Puu! Take us to _that_ place!" In an instant, the whole room was enveloped in a tremendous orange light. Pop shut her eyes to block the glare. A few moments later, the glare subsided. "This is where we will fight, Pop-chan."

Pop opened her eyes and saw it for herself. The area could best be described as a dimension comprised of various images from Hazuki's past. She stood on what appeared to be Sonatine Kindergarten's roof while the roof of the Mahou-Dou's original form hovered well above them. Thorny vines surrounded them on all sides, creating an arena of sorts.

The red Ojamajo gripped the Vac-Drive's hose tightly and got ready. At once, Hazuki rushed her, but Pop managed to evade it only for the roof's slanted area to throw her off-balance. She tumbled down the slope and, reacting quickly, managed to grab the edge just before she fell off and into the thorns below. Hazuki hovered over the nigh-helpless Ojamajo.

"I really expected better from you," Hazuki said with some disappointment, "Oh well."

She pointed at Pop. In an instant, the rose-haired girl found herself being lifted by some unseen force; Hazuki had telekinetically grabbed her and was now forcing her off the edge. She was now poised to be sent into the thorny abyss below.

"The fall won't kill you," Hazuki assured, "But you will be trapped. So you can guess what happens next?"

Hazuki immediately dropped the struggling Pop. Her mind in a whirl, the red Ojamajo didn't have time to think; instead, her body reacted automatically and summoned her broom. She was confused, but she did not squander the chance to fight again and mounted it just before she could get caught in the thorns.

It was now time to take the fight to Hazuki.

Pop flew right over Hazuki's head and straight up to the upside down Mahou-Dou roof. Hazuki, looking on in shock, gave chase and began telekinetically calling the thorny vines to aid in slowing Pop down. The red Ojamajo sprayed the vines with fire, burning them and creating ashen snow. The orange Ojamajo was not deterred, but her vision was obscured, something that the rose-haired Ojamajo took advantage of.

Pop knew she had to keep moving and find an opening to use the mirror. She only had so much magic and Elemental Energy left while Hazuki obviously had unlimited magic at her disposal.

"Paipai Ponpoi PuwaPuwa Puu!" Hazuki chanted, "Clear away this cloud of ashes!"

Pop spotted the magic and flew in close. _This is it! This is my chance!_

Hazuki's spell did the trick, and the ashen cloud was dispersed. At that moment, Pop drew the mirror and turned the reflective side to Hazuki. She saw her reflection…and her once nearly-psychotic expression turned into one of panic.

"**KYAAAHH!**" Hazuki screamed, "**MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA!**" Immediately, she began flying around the area at a breakneck pace. Pop wasted no time in getting out her flashlight and began chasing Hazuki once she had it out. "**MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA! MAJO RIKA!**"

Pop's attempts were proving unproductive. Between Hazuki's frantic and random flying around the arena and Pop being unable to keep pace, Pop was unable to catch Hazuki in the glare before the latter snapped out of her panic. Pop shined her flashlight on the orange ghost, but that only got a giggle in reply.

_Damn it! Too slow…_ Pop thought bitterly.

"You'll have to try harder than that, Pop-chan," Hazuki taunted. She then telekinetically grabbed Pop's broom and flung it right from underneath her, causing the red Ojamajo to fall. "But I won't let you die like that, though."

Pop landed hard on the roof. The good news was she landed on the flat part of the roof. As for the bad news, Pop was severely injured from the impact, having broken several ribs, both legs, and suffered a severe concussion. The injuries in total knocked her unconscious. Hazuki flew down and gasped in horror.

"Paipai Ponpoi PuwaPuwa Puu!" Hazuki chanted frantically, "Heal Pop-chan of her wounds!"

Her spell did the trick. In moment's, Pop glowed with an orange light and her wounds began rapidly healing. Once the glow subsided, the red Ojamajo woke back up.

"But…why?" Pop asked, "Why did you heal me?"

Hazuki shook her head. "I didn't want to win by severely injuring you," she replied sadly. She retreated a few steps. "Try again?"

Pop didn't reply. She instead charged Hazuki, pulling out the mirror and showing Hazuki her reflection. In moments, Hazuki screamed in a panic, but Pop ad quickly drawn her flashlight and shined it on the orange ghost, stunning her. The red Ojamajo had no idea how long she would remain stunned and quickly activated the Vac-Drive. It did the trick, and it began sucking Hazuki in.

"**Wha-?! NOO! NOT AGAIN!**" Hazuki screeched.

She immediately began flying away from Pop. However, Pop had almost forgotten what happens when trying to suck in ghosts and was yanked off balance as the suction homed in on the range ghost and dragged her with it. Somehow, Pop regained her footing, but it was rickety and Pop wasn't sure how long she could hold on.

It went on for several minutes…several agonizing monotonous minutes of doing the same thing over and over: Shift weight, steer Hazuki, make Hazuki stumble, rinse and repeat. For a moment there, Pop thought about simply shutting it off just to get rid of the nigh-endlessly repeating cycle when Hazuki's newest stumble caused her to lose her edge and finally be sucked in.

Pop collapsed with a start and looked at the All-in-One.

_Arigatou…Pop-chan._

_But I used a dirty trick to catch you,_ Pop bitterly berated herself.

_I have to warn you about Hana-chan and Onpu-chan. They're much more devoted to making you a ghost and are much more ruthless. Onpu-chan has lost hope of being turned back to normal while Hana-chan seems to actually LIKE being a ghost…of own accord! Please! You must bring them back to their senses before they turn you into a ghost! I'm counting on you. We're all counting on you!_

And with that, no more messages came up on-screen. A few moments later, there was a flash of orange light and Pop found herself back in Hazuki's room. It had been untouched aside from what Hazuki did to repair it earlier. It seemed more cozy even.

_Hazuki-chan must've wanted me to use this as a base,_ Pop thought, _Or she wanted it to be neat if she got me…_ Pop shook her head. _I need to tell Majo Toron-san the good news!_

Pop, with the All-in-One still in hand, quickly called Majo Toron.

"Moshi moshi?" came the voice of Shadow Ruka, "Light Pop?"

Pop's expression changed to confusion. "Um, where's Majo Toron?"

"Getting to know Light Aiko and Light Momoko. Can you leave a message?"

"You're not an answering machine!"

"Touché."

Pop face-palmed. _Why did Shadow Ruka have to be such a troll?!_ She gritted her teeth in anger. "I. Was. Calling. To. Tell. You. That. I. Caught. Hazuki-chan!"

"Fine then. But it'll be a while before I can give her the message."

"And why?!"

Pop heard Shadow Ruka snickering over the communicator. "Oh…nothing really."

And with that, Shadow Ruka cut off communications. Pop, angered and bewildered, slammed her fists on the bed. She calmed down, but only slightly, and it wasn't enough to stop her from pounding her fists into the bedding. Once she let it all out, she decided to count the number of Magical Spheres she had left.

She had thirty-two in total.

_Rats!_ Pop mentally shouted, _I guess I'm going to have to keep either a better track of them or ration them better, huh?_

_That's an idea,_ the voice of Mami replied, _Although…_

_It's a little convoluted, don't'cha think?_ The voice of Sayaka added.

"Don't remind me," Pop retorted, "Ney, Kyoko-san?"

_Hmm?_ Kyoko's voice replied, _This is about our earlier argument, ain't it?_

Pop got the mirror out and looked at the reflective surface. Kyoko's visage stared back. "Well, yeah, it is. What if my friends can somehow influence their ghost selves? I mean, I saw Ai-chan fight against hers and Hazuki-chan didn't seem as interested in fighting as she was last time!"

_That's an interesting theory, but if that's the case, then what does that say of Hana?_

Pop's heart sank. Here she was, essentially arguing with herself again, and raising valid points against herself in the process. But Hazuki did warn that Hana and Onpu were more ruthless than she was and that Hana actually seemed willing along with Onpu having given up hope. To her, they had surrendered to their ghost selves and were just letting them run amok. Hazuki's earlier psychotic actions could have been justified by her real self being too tired to fight back anymore and her more controlled actions being from Hazuki being able to influence her actions again.

"I have to restore their hope," Pop finally said, "If I can do that, then, uh…"

_Don't think about it too hard,_ Mami warned, _Just worry about actually doing it._

Pop smiled. And her resolve increased as a result.

* * *

"Are you sure there will be some issues?" Shadow Aiko asked.

Shadow Hazuki nodded gravely. "Light Hana absorbed that Wraith you created. And I'm not sure if the Ghostifier can revert a ghost with foreign ectoplasm in it."

"But you're the one who knows the most about it!" Shadow Pop griped, "You should know that too!"

"I'm the one who knows how to use it best," Shadow Hazuki corrected, "But we stole it from Light Isabelle without the instructions. I had to test it out _on myself_ just to figure out what it can do!"

The entire sanctum went silent.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Shadow Doremi burst out, "You mean to tell us...that you _knew_ all this time whether or not we can become ghosts and never told us?!"

"Black Queen-sama ordered me to keep it a secret until the most inopportune moment! But I dunno if this is inopportune or not!"

All four other Shadow Ojamajos groaned and face-palmed.

"Damn you, Black Queen-sama!" Shadow Aiko burst out. She quickly squeaked as she slapped her hand over her mouth. "No one else heard that, right?"

The fivesome looked cautiously around the sanctum. When no Black Queen came out of nowhere, they resumed their argument.

"Okay, but you knew we could've been turned into ghosts all this time," Shadow Hana said indignantly, "I guess I really had nothing to lose then."

Shadow Hazuki straightened her glasses. "I can confirm that the Ghostifier can turn even Shadows into ghosts…but said ghosts turning Shadows into more ghosts is something I have no idea about."

"Still would've been nice to know beforehand, right?" Shadow Aiko deadpanned.

All five Shadow Ojamajos sighed.

"Well, what now? Walpurgisnacht has probably been made now," Shadow Pop said sadly, "So we-"

"Not quite," Shadow Doremi replied, "If that thing is up there now, then we would be feeling it down here."

"Then I think it's close to forming!"

"Which means Light Pop better get moving," added Shadow Hana.

* * *

**A/N: This took longer than I had hoped. For those of you counting the number of time Pop used her magic since Hazuki gave her that bag of Magical Spheres, well, I personally lost count and had to reread those chapters myself. The remaining Magical Spheres being at 32 is easily handwaved as being the result of Pop losing a few in addition to those she used.**


	19. Brutal Truths

**A/N: The previous chapter was more than a little rushed. There was a scene that was supposed to go there, but I have decided to save it for the next chapter instead. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-Brutal Truths-

* * *

Majo Toron returned from her chat with Aiko and Momoko. She was more than a little unnerved, but that was the past now. What she needed now was some rest and relaxation. But Shadow Ruka wasn't making things easy in that department.

"Sooo…how did it go?" Shadow Ruka asked.

Majo Toron turned to the Shadow Witch. "…Awkward. Don't want to talk about it."

Shadow Ruka simply shrugged in reply.

* * *

Pop looked around the room. It was still dark in there, even though she had already recaptured Hazuki. There were no switches anywhere, so the red Ojamajo guessed that Hazuki had used magic earlier to shut off the lights.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Lights, turn on!"

At that, Pop's magic encircled the lights in the room. And then they clicked on, just like that.

The room, now brightly lit, had clearly been restored to its original appearance. For one thing, the other door was no longer destroyed and the smell of smoke that had once wafted through the air was gone. Pop opened the door and peered on the other side.

It was just as badly damaged as before, complete with a view of the open doorway above.

The rose-haired girl sighed. _I guess Hazuki-chan would've repaired the next room too if I had let her…_ She shook her head. "I can't wait here for nothing to happen! I have to go and save Hana-chan!...and I think I know where she is."

Readying her flashlight and poron, Pop wasted no time in leaving Hazuki's room and heading upstairs. Moments later, she was in the dark second floor halls facing the door to Hana's room. She tested the door, and to her relief, found it unlocked. It creaked open, slowly at first…

* * *

Hana's room was the same as when she first entered, aside from the lack of the Vac-Drive and the wheel device it had been fused with earlier. The damage had been repaired as though nothing ever transpired there, and the air was unearthly cold, something that was strangely absent from Hazuki's room just a few minutes earlier.

Hana's spectral form was relaxing on the bed, seemingly oblivious to Pop's presence. However, Pop's entry caused her light to shine on the white Ojamajo, startling her and alerting her to the young girl's presence. Hana turned and smiled sweetly at Pop.

"Pop-chan! Chiisu!" Hana called as she floated up off the bed, "Hana-chan fixed the room!"

_You don't say?_ Pop mentally deadpanned, "Skip it, Hana-chan. Just come quietly and let me capture you without a fight so that neither of us has to be hurt!"

Hana tilted her head quizzically at Pop. "Hana-chan doesn't want to fight, but Hana-chan wants you to become one of us no matter what."

"Then you leave me no choice. If I have to fight you, then I will!"

Hana sighed sadly. Pop pulled out the All-in-One and scanned the white Ojamajo. She then looked at the screen for the description.

_Hana: U—a-y c-ll—g h-rsel—"-ana M-kih—yam-", H-na is – Wit—bo-n from th- ERROR! HIGH INTERFERENCE! UNABLE TO COMPLETE SCAN!_

Pop gritted her teeth. _My ghost half had an excuse, but this is ridiculous!_ "Why is this thing failing to scan right?!"

Hana smiled. "Hana-chan thinks it's something she ate…"

Pop face-palmed. "You can't even eat anything! NOT EVEN PUDDING, I HOPE YOU KNOW!"

Hana hung her head. "It's the price to pay for being a ghost. Hana-chan would love some pudding."

"So now what?" Pop's voice dripped with venom. "You're gonna play another joke on me?! You're gonna rant on how 'awesome' it is to be a ghost?! WELL?!"

Hana just closed her eyes and smiled. "If you want to know, then you'll have to catch up to Hana-chan first! Pororin Pyuarin HanaHana Pii!" Pop grit her teeth, expecting a battle. "Take us someplace else!"

Hana's magic swirled around the room. In moments, a brilliant white light not unlike the flash from Hazuki's magic erupted from the center. Once again, Pop shielded her eyes.

When the light faded, the red Ojamajo found herself in a starry landscape with clouds above her. She was standing on a small rock floating in a seemingly endless void. Hana floated away from the edge.

"Catch Hana-chan if you can!" Hana challenged with a wink. She then vanished into thin air. Pop looked around, trying to find the white ghostified Ojamajo. "Up here!"

Pop looked up. There she was, floating above a cloud. "You can walk on these, Pop-chan!" Hana explained. She then vanished again.

Pop summoned her broom and took flight, quickly ascending to where the clouds were. To her surprise, the clouds were arranged like a spiraling staircase, leading her to guess that she was supposed to jump from cloud to cloud.

_I can't jump that high, Hana-chan!_ Pop mentally griped. Still, she continued flying up the clouds, taking as little time as possible.

"Y'know, Pop-chan? Hana-chan didn't like being a ghost at first," Hana suddenly said, appearing right beside a now startled Pop, "Hana-chan cried a lot in the first hour."

Pop quickly turned to face Hana just as she was vanishing again. The red Ojamajo groaned in frustration and continued her ascent.

"Hana-chan allowed Shadow Hana-chan to turn her into a ghost so Shadow Hana-chan wouldn't get punished," Hana explained again, appearing out of nowhere.

Pop growled angrily and directed the All-in-One at Hana. But by the time she could try scanning her, the white Ojamajo vanished again. So like last time, Pop continued her ascent. This time, there were no more interruptions and she reached the highest cloud. She landed…and no sooner than she did, flowers burst from the surface; they completely covered the cloud's top in a matter of seconds. Finally, Hana appeared.

"You're fast, Pop-chan!" Hana chortled, "You actually kept up with Hana-chan!"

A vein appeared on Pop's forehead. "Cut the crap, Hana-chan!" she shouted, "I still haven't forgiven you for that joke you played on me earlier!"

Hana's expression turned into a frown. "Hana-chan…knows. It was wrong of Hana-chan to pull that on you. Gomennasai."

"That isn't enough, Hana-chan!" Pop aimed the All-in-One and scanned Hana once more. She then looked at the screen.

_Ha-a –ak-ht-y-m-: - W—ch bo-n fro- t-e Ro-al -lue R-s- -o Do—mi an- her f-llow O-amaj-s. Sh- is- ERROR! HIGH INTERFERENCE! UNABLE TO COMPLETE SCAN!_

_Again?! WHY?! Where is this interference coming from?!_

"Hana-chan was crazy at the time. She has been ever since she was ghostified. She guesses it had something to do with that thingy Shadow Hana-chan used on her," Hana mused, "Demo ne, Shadow Hana-chan really didn't want to do it. She even asked me to forget about her and get out of here.

"But Hana-chan couldn't…not while everyone else was still trapped here. Shadow Hana-chan filled me in on their plan, including how Black queen was insisting on them going through with it. So here Hana-chan is: A ghost. Shadow Hana-chan even made it less severe, though Hana-chan really doesn't know how. But Hana-chan has to admit, being a ghost isn't too bad…aside from being dead and all, that's bad.

"But Hana-chan didn't want you to be all alone. That's why you should become a ghost…So you won't be living by yourself."

As she listened to Hana, Pop couldn't help but feel that something was off. She had every reason to think that, given what had happened to her throughout the night. But when she looked back at the screen, she got the biggest shock of the ordeal so far: The message that was the scanned ghost's thoughts _matched_ everything Hana had said, word for word.

"So what do you say?" Hana asked with some delight.

Pop, who had been listening to Hana, looked down at the All-in-One. What she saw made her eyes shoot wide open.

Right there, on the screen, every single word Hana just spoke was there. It was the same as with Hazuki just before she fell to her ghost self; her words were on the screen and not just her thoughts. It was a sign that she was in control of herself.

Pop's heart sank. "You mean to tell me…you've been in control…this. Whole. TIME!?"

"If you can call it that."

The twitch in Pop's eye intensified. "Then how…How could you DO SUCH A THING?!"

"Hana-chan's a little crazy as a ghost."

"A _little_?! Try bats**t insane!" Pop screamed angrily, "There's no _way_ in HELL you could ever BE the Hana-chan I knew!" Pop took aim with the Vac-Drive. "First, you attack me _with lethal weapons _and then have the nerve to call it a goddamn joke! And then you try to kill me along with the others! And you were in control of yourself _THIS WHOLE TIME_?!"

"But-!"

"And to think you were the only one who was allowed to keep herself," Pop continued, "But to waste your freedom on allying with _them_?! I don't think there's a word out there to describe something like you! I don't even think you're the real Hana-chan either! There's just no way the Hana-chan we came to know and love would do all of this!

"So instead of capturing you, I think I'll just kill you instead…_permanently_! By burning you out of existence!"

Hana stared at Pop with a mix of horror and hurt. "This…This isn't you, Pop-chan! Please, Pop-chan!"

"URUSAI! You're not Hana-chan! And I will _enjoy_ seeing you _burn_!"

At once, Pop fired a Light-based beam. Hana tried to dodge it, but the ensuing blast caught her regardless, causing her to scream in pain. Part of her seemed to have burned off as she turned back toward Pop with a look of both terror and pleading.

"Pop-chan…PLEASE! Hana-chan doesn't want this! PLEASE- AAH!"

Hana tried to finish her plea, but Pop had blasted her with another even bigger beam of Light, launching her a fair distance and seeming to burn off even more of her. The white Ojamajo was now bleeding white ectoplasm and leaving it in trails across the field. She managed to recover slightly, but began what would have been the equivalence of coughing for ghosts…and then vomited up ectoplasm that had a slight bluish glow to it. She looked back at Pop.

"Pop-chan-! Pop-chan! PLEASE!" Hana cried.

Pop wanted nothing of it and continued blasting the white Ojamajo with one Light-based attack after another until her gauge was empty. By then, part of her very being were trailing off of the barely-floating Hana; more of her ectoplasm was dripping from open "wounds" and the strips. Tears of ectoplasm flowed down her face as she stared at the red Ojamajo in terror.

"Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted aggressively, "Refill the Light-gauge!" Once Pop's spell was completed, she aimed once more at the ghostified Ojamajo and began charging a massive attack. "This. Will. Finish you OFF!"

Pop glared angrily at Hana. Her expression spoke of pure anger and hate…and betrayal.

Hana stared through her own glowing eyes at Pop. Her own expression spoke of terror, begging for mercy, and remorse.

Pop narrowed her eyes...

…and then found herself in Hana's embrace. Her freezing up, Pop accidently dismissed her attack and listened.

Crying. Hana's crying. The sound of a crying child.

White ectoplasm was dripping onto her uniform but the white Ojamajo's arms didn't enter Pop's body.

"Onegai…yameru…" Hana pleaded, coughing once more, "Pop-chan…!"

"But why do you keep pretending to be Hana-chan?!" Pop shouted.

"It is me…Hana-chan…!" Hana coughed again. "Hana-chan doesn't remember much from her childhood…but Hana-chan remembers Mama. All of them…Is this what you truly want to do? Is this…really who you are now?"

Pop found her words dying in her mouth. Some of what Hana said made sense, especially that last part. She questioned herself, even though Hana was easily trying to survive long enough to turn her into a ghost.

_But why? Why can't I finish her?!_ Pop thought to herself.

_She's really got ya tight, don't she?_ Kyoko's voice replied, _I told you it's always more than simple mind control!_

_But Hana does have a point, _Sayaka's voice countered, _Besides, if she wanted to turn you into a ghost, then she could've done so anytime right now!_

Pop closed her eyes. Sayaka was right; Hana didn't want to turn Pop into a ghost anymore. Otherwise, she would've been a ghost by now.

_But this isn't Hana-chan!_ Pop mentally shouted, _You all know what she did earlier!_

_Of course we do,_ Mami's voice replied, _But it's like Hana said: She was crazy. But I think that maybe –just maybe- you may have driven that out!_

_That, and she doesn't seem as psycho,_ Kyoko's voice added, though with a hint of disappointment.

_But-!_ Pop thought.

_You forget, Pop,_ Mami warned, _We're all part of your mind. Everything we know, all of our thoughts…they're yours too. You're debating with yourself. And you doubted your own words._

_She is your close friend,_ Sayaka's voice pointed out, _And I don't want you to lose someone that precious! I mean, think about what the others would say if you DID destroy her!_

Tears formed in Pop's eye and then slid down her cheek. "Hana-chan? Do you really want to turn me into a ghost?"

Hana broke off her embrace and shook her head. "You've proven that you can handle us. Hana-chan has full faith in you saving us." The white ghostified Ojamajo smiled despite the damage to her form. "Hana-chan is ready." Hana closed her eyes and outstretched her arms. "Hana-chan knows this doesn't excuse her actions, but it's the least Hana-chan can do."

Pop aimed with the Vac-Drive and glanced at the All-in-One. The message on it still matched what Hana said. This, combined with a feeling she had inside, dispelled any doubts she had: This was the real Hana, always had been. And she had just tried to bring a permanent end to her.

"Gomennasai! Gomennasai!" Pop said, but Hana gestured her to stop, "Nani?"

Hana shook her head. "Pop-chan doesn't need to apologize. You snapped Hana-chan back to her senses…so now you must capture me."

"But-!"

"PLEASE! DO IT!" Hana pleaded, "HANA-CHAN DOESN'T WANT TO REMAIN A GHOST! NOT WHEN YOU CAN SAVE US!"

Pop reluctantly nodded. She reached into her pocket for her flashlight and gave one final look at Hana.

Her form was still severely damaged. Entire sections trailed off into wisps, ectoplasm still dripped from wound-like areas, yet Hana still floated there, smiling and but with a pleading look in her eye.

Pop shone her flashlight on the white Ojamajo. Just like that, she was stunned, allowing Pop to begin sucking her up. Hana offered absolutely no resistance and went inside within seconds. No sooner than she did, a bright flash illuminated the area…

* * *

Onpu stared angrily at the door to Hana's room. She had a good idea of what happened in there, but she was unable to do anything about it. Regardless, she will now have to fight Pop herself…and she actually looked forward to that confrontation.

Ghost pop appeared beside the purple ghostified Ojamajo.

"Let me guess," Ghost Pop deadpanned, "Hana lost?"

"Obviously," Onpu retorted, "But no matter. Given Hana's power, I'm willing to bet that your living self is weakened in some way."

Ghost Pop smiled. "Then if you fail, I will take it from there, okay?"

Onpu nodded. "If you need me, I'll be in my room. However, I want you and your minions to stay out of the fight. If you find _that _room without me in it, then you will know what happened…which reminds me."

Ghost Pop sighed. "Okay…I'll make it so you can fight there…"

Ghost Pop disappeared into the floor while Onpu lingered there.

"Mark my words, Pop-chan," Onpu declared, "You _will_ become a ghost when I'm done with you!"

With those words, Onpu ascended through the ceiling and quickly returned to her room.

* * *

When the flash faded, Pop found herself back in Hana's room. But this time, the lights were on, bringing some comfort to the red Ojamajo. But she still felt horrible about everything that happened with Hazuki and Hana in the last half-hour…at least, she thought she would. For some reason, Pop didn't feel bad about nearly destroying Hana's soul nor about fighting dirty to capture Hazuki.

It frightened her.

"Wh-what's happening to me…?" Pop asked herself, "What am I turning into…?" As Pop questioned herself, she flung herself onto Hana's bed and began crying. "Why…? How…?"

* * *

**A/N: I can confirm that what Hana vomited up was the remnants of the Wraith she absorbed last chapter. It is thus no longer considered "absorbed".**


	20. The Silence of Music

**A/N: There are no notes up here. That is all. Enjoy.**

* * *

-The Silence of Music-

* * *

Pop sat up on the bed. After questioning herself and getting no answers, she deemed that it was time to get moving.

She peered at the All-in-One and noticed a message on it.

_Pop-chan! Hana-chan knows you can still read this, so I'll tell you. Onpu-mama has lost all hope of being saved. But Hana-chan knows you can save her, which is why you must catch her next! But she's also tough, much tougher than you think! And she knows things too! But if you can restore her hope, then you might have a chance! You must win, for all of us! We're all coun-_

The message cut off right there.

_I guess the All-in-One managed to keep a link for longer than usual,_ pop mentally mused, _But if what Hana-chan's saying is true, then-_

_You're screwed if you don't know what you're doing,_ Kyoko's voice finished.

_Arigatou, Kyoko._

Pop sighed. She had a good idea as to who to go after next, but she wasn't sure if she could so it. Hana not as hard as she could've been due to her own dislike of fighting and her being in control the whole time. But Onpu was going to be hard, especially since she is easily the wisest and skilled Ojamajo in their group.

She shook her head. _No! I can't let her strengths stop me! I've come too far to quit and my ghost self and Onpu are the only ones left!_ A look of sadness crept onto her face. _Maybe I can figure out which part of me Ghost Pop is…and find out why I'm becoming like this…_

And with that, Pop left the room and headed through the halls. She knew there was a door past the one she blew open earlier since Ghost Pop had obviously used it to survive that Witch. She made it in no time at all, but the door was locked.

Smirking, Pop pulled out her bag of keys and tried the lock. After a few failures, she found the right one and opened the door and found herself before another stairway. Staying cautious, Pop headed up the stairs and quickly found herself before another door.

It too was locked.

_Figures,_ Pop mentally deadpanned.

She searched the bag once more and tried each key until she found the right one. She turned the knob and entered…

* * *

The room was as disturbingly familiar as it was unearthly cold. Pop had half-expected it by now but didn't think this room would be this high up in the Mansion.

The room was a replica of Onpu's room.

And true to form, Onpu herself was floating over the bed. She quickly noticed Pop and turned to face her.

"You're late, Pop-chan," Onpu scolded, "Though I guess better late than never?"

Pop shook her head. "I'll go with 'never', Onpu-chan."

Onpu chuckled. "Do you really think you can defeat me?"

"I beat Hana-chan. Does that answer your question?"

"Hmph! Lucky. But no such luck will aid you here." Onpu curled her lips into a malevolent grin. "This isn't the place for us to fight, Pop-chan. Meet me in the Music Room on the first floor, okay?"

Onpu didn't wait for a reply. To Pop's surprise, the purple ghostified Ojamajo rushed and flew _right through _her body, laughing maliciously along the way. At once, the rose-haired girl found herself collapsing to the floor and her insides growing cold; she could've sworn that they had turned to ice. By the time she could even slightly recover, Onpu was long gone, her laughter fading into the walls.

Pop, panting heavily, struggled to her feet. It wasn't easy, especially since she now swore that her very life force was attacked as well, but she managed. But it was clear that she wasn't going to move very far at the current moment and so decided to rest on Onpu's bed to recover further.

_Kuso!_ Pop muttered internally, _To think…To think Onpu-chan…would've pulled something like this off?_ The red Ojamajo had no way of knowing if another part of her soul had been taken. If that was the case, then she might as well be facing _two_ Ghost Pops or a single, more powerful one later on. _No! I can't think that way-_ "Ech!"

A sharp pain erupted from the center of her chest. She instinctively clutched around the area, which was her heart. The pain went away, but Pop was still reeling from whatever it was and was unable to move around. All she could so was lie there on the bed and try to recover from Onpu's attack and whatever just happened.

"Looks like…I'm going to be here for a while," Pop mused gravely, "At least I can get some rest…"

* * *

"Damn, guys," Shadow Aiko said exasperatedly, "Since when did this game get so boring?"

The Shadow Ojamajos were once again playing a game of pool. Shadow Aiko, who was trying to get the solid balls in, only had two to go before going after the 8-ball. Her opponent, Shadow Hana, still had five of her striped balls left. Shadow Hazuki didn't trust her ability given that one of her eyes was covered by a bandage and Shadow Pop was busy rooting for Shadow Hana. Shadow Doremi was ignoring the game, focusing instead on her Light Half's portrait.

"Light Doremi," the pink Shadow muttered, "What would you do if you were in our position…?"

"Hey, Shadow Doremi-chan!" Shadow Aiko called. She had just managed to get her remaining balls in the holes and now had to get the 8-ball in. "Wanna play me next?"

Shadow turned toward Shadow Aiko and shook her head. "I…I think we should try pulling that…again."

The other four Shadow Ojamajos gulped in shock at her proposition. They knew what almost happened last time and weren't sure if it was possible to get away with it again. Black Queen had, after all, came in and gave a strict warning while dispelling their Shadow Stage that allowed Shadow Doremi to communicate telepathically with Pop.

"It's too risky, Shadow Doremi-chan," Shadow Hazuki warned.

Shadow Pop looked at her older sibling in worry. "I believe the only reason she didn't do anything else to us right then was because Shadow Tourbillon's keeping an eye on her for once. But if we push our luck then we could-!"

"I know the risks!" Shadow Doremi snapped, "But we need Pop to succeed and ruin the plan."

"It's already ruined," Shadow Hazuki deadpanned, "And we can use Shadow Stage to get a glimpse instead of wasting time here!"

Shadow Doremi shot a confounded look at Shadow Hazuki. The orange Shadow replied with a smug look of her own.

"Touché, Shadow Hazuki-chan," Shadow Doremi replied.

* * *

Pop sat alone in by a tree in her dream. At some point, she had fallen asleep again, but bothering her with that was out of the question. She was miserable, reflecting on her dirty trick on Hazuki and her attempt to kill Hana's ghostly form. The dream world mirrored her despair, appearing dark, foreboding, and outright devoid of life.

"What am I?" Pop asked herself.

The forms of Sayaka, Mami, and Kyoko appeared before her.

"That's for you to decide, Pop-chan," Mami replied.

"You can't let others make that decision for you," Sayaka added.

"You're weak otherwise," Kyoko finished.

"I'm weak anyway," Pop replied miserably, "…I can't take this anymore…"

"But you can't give up!" Sayaka shouted, "You promised them! You promised to save them!"

"And you're well on your way to succeeding too!" Mami added, "You've saved Momoko, Aiko, Hazuki, and now Hana! That just leaves Onpu and Doremi."

"I…I…LOOK AT WHAT I TRIED DOING TO HANA-CHAN!" Pop shouted. At once, the dream world showed her memories of the battle, especially those where she was killing Hana, little by little, until she was barely able to float in the air. "I CAN'T DO THIS ANYMORE!"

"_That's not true, Pop-chan!_" cried another voice. Pop's eyes went wide, for she knew that it belonged to Doremi. And like the last time, it wasn't her imagination. "_All throughout tonight, I've heard the Shadow Ojamajos talking about your progress. They are convinced you'll succeed…they even WANT you to succeed!_"

Pop felt herself awaken as her dream world dissolved around her. She quickly found herself on the soft covers of the bed in Onpu's room.

_But I can't succeed…not after what I just did,_ Pop lamented, _I did something unforgivable when trying to catch Hana-chan…Onee-chan._

_Even so, you can't just-!_

_I tried to kill her for good…and I didn't even feel bad about it…That's why I can't forgive myself…_ Pop heard a mental gasp from Doremi. _She's in the Vac-Drive with Hazuki-chan, but that doesn't change a thing. She's hurt. Badly! And it's all my fault!_

_But, Pop-chan-!_

_I'm trying to feel bad about it! But the guilt…It just won't come!_

Doremi stayed silent. Pop had a good idea why that was the case, but it did nothing to lift her mood.

Reluctantly, Pop crawled out of the bed and managed to walk toward the door. She still felt weak, but not to the extent that Onpu's attack and what she figured was a minor heart attack caused.

"Why am I even doing this anymore?" Pop mumbled to herself, "I've pretty much alienated Onee-chan by trying to kill Hana-chan…and I believe Hana-chan has already ratted me out to Hazuki-chan by now…"

She trudged onward, down the stairs, through the halls, and then made it to the first floor corridor. She paused before the door to the Music Room.

"Onpu-chan said she would meet me in here- wait!" Pop's eyes went wide. "The last time I was in there, the lights were on. So how can Onpu-chan be in there when all it would do is stun her and make her too easy?!" The realization and frustration quickly snapped Pop out of her despair. She then immediately blew open the door in frustration using a combined Dark, Fire, and Sky blast. The inside answered her question. "Ooooookay…?"

The inside of the Music Room was dark and had the unearthly chill. It was still just as damaged from when Shadow Onpu attacked her those hours ago but it didn't explain the darkness. Regardless, Onpu herself floated above the piano, eyeing Pop with a disappointed look.

"You're late again, Pop-chan," Onpu scolded. She then smirked maliciously. "And I thought you were more responsible than Doremi-chan?"

"Hmph! Maybe I would've been here sooner if you didn't freeze me from the inside out!" Pop retorted.

Onpu began chuckling at that. "I have to admit, Pop-chan: You're pretty tough to endure that and still keep on going. I guess it runs in the family since Doremi-chan is pretty strong herself…getting struck so many times, of course…"

Pop narrowed her eyes. "Talk is cheap, Onpu-chan! Just surrender-!"

"Hahahahaha!" Onpu floated over to the dresser in the corner. "You really suck at finding things, Pop-chan." The purple waved her hand over the dresser top. At once, the uppermost drawer opened…and a large purple coin emerged from it. "Do you know what this is, Pop-chan?"

Pop got a good look at it. Even though it was at a distance, the coin's features were discernible. It had the royal symbol of Majo Kai on it and it glowed with power.

"It…It couldn't be-!"

"It is! This is the Medallion of the Music Element!" The Medallion levitated into Onpu's open palm. "You recall that there are eight Elements, right? Fire, Water, Ice, Sky, Earth, Light, Darkness, and Music?" Onpu chuckled. "But you only had access to seven Elements from seven Medallions. Did it ever occur to you that there would've been eight of them total?"

Pop gasped. Such a thing _did_ occur to her, but it was at the back of her mind and quickly ignored early on.

"But Majo Toron said there were only seven of them!" Pop replied.

"Then…I guess she didn't know about this one then!" Onpu replied, sweat-dropping, "But anyway, the Shadow Ojamajos were the ones who stole it and hid it here...and no one ever said they took it from Majo Toron, did they?"

Pop bit her lip. Onpu merely shot a smug grin at the red Ojamajo…right before putting the Medallion in her mouth and swallowing it, much to the pinkette's disgust. Immediately, the Medallion became visible through the purple Ojamajo's ghostly form, glowing brightly and giving something like a barrier inside her chest.

Getting out the All-in-One, Pop wasted no time and scanned her.

"I don't think that device of yours will help much, Pop-chan," Onpu taunted.

Pop just ignored the purple Ojamajo's comment and looked at the description that was now on-screen.

_Onpu Segawa: Majo Ruka's former apprentice and the former rival to Doremi, Hazuki, and Aiko. Unlike the aforementioned Ojamajos, Onpu used her magic for selfish reasons and, thanks to a charm that Majo Ruka made, was able to use forbidden magic to changes other's minds. She opened herself up after a time and became friends with them when the saved her from finally being punished. She was once weak to music, but the Music Medallion has nulled that. However, the weakness to the Music Element is unknown._

_Damn it! But I'll find Music's weakness no matter what…_ Pop thought bitterly, "Looks like I have hard fight now…"

Onpu chuckled and smiled. "I'm surprised you beat Hana-chan. But you won't beat me."

Onpu immediately waved her poron around. Magic whirled from it and instantly destroyed all of the instruments, including the piano and disintegrated their remains. Pop looked on in shock.

"You…You cast your magic…without using your incantation?!" Pop said in shock.

"I guess it's because of the Music Medallion…it makes my magic even stronger than it usually is!"

Onpu sent a beam of magic right at Pop. She dodged it, but still got a scratch. But the purple Ojamajo was ready, loosing a beam right into Pop's path, striking and knocking her to the ground.

"You're really getting sloppy, aren't you, Pop-chan?" Onpu taunted.

"Tch!" Pop glanced at the All-in-One's screen.

_…_

_C'mon, Onpu-chan!_ Pop mentally begged, _I need your help to win this battle!_

Pop decided to loose a gout of flame at Onpu. The attack struck, but Onpu was clearly unaffected. Pop tried again, this time with Water…and got the same result. She repeated with all of the other Elements only to get the same result. Onpu never retaliated against either attempt, instead deriving amusement from Pop's clearly ineffective attacks.

"But…How…?!" Pop half-shouted desperately.

"Hahahahaha!" Laughed Onpu, "You really seem to know nothing about how to effectively used those Medallions Pop-chan. Let me show you how it's done!"

And just like that, a long line of magic emerged from the tip of Onpu's poron. And with a flick of her wrist, the magical energy whip struck Pop, knocking her down. Several more flicks later, and Pop had been tossed around like a ragdoll. She managed to get up but was horrified at the sight: There in between her and Onpu were the Medallions.

"I do believe only a ghost can wield these properly," Onpu stated. She gestured for something to come closer…and the Medallions flew straight into Onpu's ghostly form. A brilliant light engulfed her as her ghostly form pulsed with power. When it subsided, the area around her chest had become a core of sorts. "Shall we take this someplace else?"

Pop didn't reply, opting instead to summon and mount her broom while Onpu used her magic. While the bright flash occurred, the red Ojamajo took the opportunity to put some distance between herself and the purple Ojamajo.

It was impossible to tell if it worked or not since Onpu could not be discerned. One reason was the distance Pop tried to add and the other was because there were pillars of Elemental energy surrounding them in some sort of arena. She looked at the All-in-One again.

…_just surrender, Pop-chan. It's…It's only going to end one way…_

"That isn't true, Onpu-chan!" Pop shouted, "I've overcome every obstacle tonight. I've defeated every foe, including the others! You're the only one left!"

Apparently Onpu heard her since she could now be seen flying right at Pop.

_But I have all of the Medallions! You can't win! I don't want you to die by my hand! I beg you, Pop-chan! Give up!_

"No!" Pop yelled, dodging Onpu's rush, "I'll think of something! But I can't win without your help!"

"My inner self lost all hope a long time ago, Pop-chan," Onpu replied, "She can't fight me off no matter how hard she tried!"

Pop bit her lip. _I have to think of something!_ The red Ojamajo quickly scanned Onpu again. She got the same description as the last time, except…

_…she is now a pseudo-Omni-Elemental attribute. Each-_

Pop made haste and flew out of Onpu's path once again. This time, the purple Ojamajo was ready and quickly fired several volleys of fire balls at the red Ojamajo. Pop just barely dodged them, though she swore she had several burns.

_-shell of her core is a different Element with Music always at the very center. Use Elemental attacks that are strong against the current layer and-_

Onpu launched several more volleys, this time of Ice. Pop managed to catch the attack and dodge, though a sudden chill on her foot made it clear she had been struck.

_-destroy them one-by one. Be careful though! If you wait too long, then the layers will regenerate and you will have to waste more Elemental energy trying to destroy them._

_And I only have so much left…_ Pop bitterly thought. She tried to add more to it, but Onpu shooting her with gusts stopped that in its tracks. "Kuso!"

Pop wasted no time in trying to discern which Element the first layer of her core was, but it couldn't be done; Onpu was too fast and persistent and kept shooting her with various Elements, especially Ice. The red Ojamajo immediately tried flying upward to put more distance between herself and Onpu, but to no avail; Onpu simply trailed her and effortlessly kept pace.

"Pippitp Purito Puritan Peperuto!" Pop chanted, "Stop Time!" Pop's spell went off, but a grinning Onpu used her own magic to counter Pop's spell, preventing it from occurring. "N-No way!"

"It's simply really, Pop-chan," Onpu mockingly replied, "My magic is stronger than yours even without out this Medallion. Do you really think you still have a chance?"

It was then that Pop saw it. Se wasted no time and shot a blast of Water at Onpu. The purple Ojamajo, caught by surprise, was struck…and part of her core seemed to evaporate. The pinkette smirked.

"Yes!"

"You got lucky!" Onpu immediately fired another round of Ice balls. It took Pop everything she had to evade them, but even then she still suffered a few scratches, but she managed to see the next layer and promptly fired a blast of Ice from point-blank range. It hit, and another part of Onpu's core shattered off. "Why you!"

This time, Onpu's counterattack was much more vicious and managed to drive Pop away. She looked at the All-in-One once again.

_I'm…I'm starting to think I was wrong, Pop-chan. Yes…I was wrong! You can win this! …I think the combined might of all seven Elements is enough to defeat the Music Element, but I'm not sure._

"Will try, Onpu-chan," Pop replied.

With that, Pop flew right at Onpu. Not expecting that maneuver, the purple ghostified Ojamajo looked in surprise as she came in close and got a good look. By the time she got over her confusion, the pinkette managed to blast her with a Fire blast, causing another part of her core to melt. Unfortunately, Onpu was now the perfect position to strike Pop. And she did not squander that opportunity.

First, she telekinetically grabbed Pop and used it to hold her in place. Next, blasted the red Ojamajo with jet of both Sky and Earth: A stream of sand. She then followed up with beam of Light and Darkness before finally striking with a burst of magic. Chuckling, Onpu dropped the barely-conscious Pop.

_That…could've gone…better…_ Pop thought.

_You can't give up just yet, Pop!_ Sayaka's voice urged, _Even if she did get that off-_

_I know…But I won't let that stop me!_

Pop immediately recovered and once again mounted her broom mid-fall. Determination glinting in her eyes, the red Ojamajo flew back up to Onpu at a breakneck pace, even though her body was now in intense pain. Regardless, she managed to rush past a bewildered Onpu and glimpse her core again. Then, she fired an Earth blast at the purple Ojamajo.

The attack…missed. Not only was Pop a good distance away, but Onpu had snapped out of it much sooner than expected and had an easy time dodging the attack. Ultimately, this only got a mocking laugh out of the purple ghostified Ojamajo.

Onpu didn't reply. Instead she fired an Earth blast of her own at Pop. The red Ojamajo, in confusion, dodged the attack…and right into a Sky blast and therefore getting knocked off her broom.

"AAAAAAAAAAH!" Pop screamed.

"Hahahahaha!" Onpu laughed, "You're really doing better than I thought. Too bad even _that's_ not enough!"

Pop's broom was well out of arms-reach. "Pippito Purito Puritan Peperuto! Return to me, Broom-chan!"

Pop's magic did the trick, pulling the broom back into reach. She grabbed and once again mounted it before going back after Onpu.

"You really do not know when to give up, do you?" Onpu inquired. She suddenly froze, causing her expression to change to one of confusion and shock. "N-nani yo?!"

Pop looked at the All-in-One once again.

_Hurry Pop-chan! I don't know…how long I can hold myself back!_

The pinkette nodded and blasted the still Onpu with another blast of Earth energy. Her aim was true, and part of the purple Ojamajo's core was cast off. Unfortunately, that attack allowed her to break free from her freezing.

"Why you-!" Onpu shouted angrily.

The purple Ojamajo got into a position and gathered energy into a sphere in between her palms. With a final scream of rage, she launched the sphere, which turned into a thick beam of energy comprised of all eight Elements. It all happened within the space of three seconds, leaving Pop with little time to dodge.

She was fast enough to evade the gist of it, but the invisible energy surrounding the beam got her. It wasn't as damaging as the beam itself, but Pop felt it regardless and was nearly knocked off her broom.

The pinkette flew off with Onpu in hot pursuit. She didn't know if she could continue after that attack, given that it left her in a lot of pain and barely able to fly right. Indeed, her flight was sloppy, which enabled Onpu to circle her and launch one attack after another.

However, Pop was able to see which Element comprised the current outermost layer. Throwing caution to the wind, the red Ojamajo slipped in close, using the dust from an Earth attack to obscure her approach long enough to fire a Sky blast at point-blank range. It worked, and that layer was blown off.

Onpu was getting more and more desperate. Between the real Onpu holding her back and Pop's persistent attacks, she was losing more and more of her defenses; it was only a matter of time before Pop would break down the final layer and leave her vulnerable to stunning. Even though she could easily have killed Pop by now, she had already decided against it, having wanted to turn her into a ghost. And she knew good and well that if she killed her without tearing her soul out, her soul would simply move on to the next world, sealing any chance of her being with them in undeath.

To that end, Onpu ramped up her attacks. But Pop was having none of it, even going so far as to fight dirty to evade Onpu's attacks and actually use magic to hinder the purple Ojamajo's movements. Finally, the red Ojamajo struck hard with a Dark blast, snuffing out the new outermost layer in a heartbeat.

This time, Onpu was dazed by the attack, allowing Pop to strike again with a Light blast. It struck too, vaporizing the next layer and exposing the Music element layer. However, Onpu recovered just in time and fired a beam of magic from point blank range.

Pop couldn't dodge it and was sent flying a good ways away from the purple Ojamajo. There was now some distance between the two, but the rose-haired girl remembered the warning in the description. One moment later, she recalled the real Onpu's theory about using all of the Elements at once.

_It's all I have going for me right now,_ Pop thought, _If this doesn't work, then…_

The pinkette didn't dwell on the thought and instead prepared her attack.

Onpu raced over to Pop with the intent to ghostify her.

Pop waited as energy from all seven of her Elements gathered into the tip. She had a hunch that racing toward someone like this made them easier to hit.

Just like that, Onpu and Pop were now within striking distance of one another and closing fast. Pop gritted her teeth while Onpu arranged her magic into a drill-like weapon.

"NOW!" Pop shouted.

Just as Onpu was about to strike hard, Pop did the airborne equivalence of side-stepping and fired the massive, multi-Elemental blast from point-blank range. It struck true and overwhelmed Onpu's final defense, knocking her into a daze.

Pop wasted no time in drawing her flashlight and shining it on Onpu. The light did the trick, stunning her and finally leaving her vulnerable to the suction. And that was exactly what Pop did, callowing the suction to zero in on the purple Ojamajo.

"Usou! Usou! **USOU!**" Onpu screamed.

In an instant, the purple Ojamajo began flying frantically around the arena, causing the suction to drag Pop along for the ride. But the pinkette wasn't letting go no matter what, despite Onpu's own resilience. It went on for several minutes, with neither side giving in.

Suddenly, a pulse of energy erupted from Onpu's chest, breaking the suction and knocking Pop back. Onpu's core was now back, and the purple Ojamajo was thoroughly angry with the rose-haired girl.

"You're…going to regret this!" Onpu shouted.

Pop flew off and looked at the All-in-One.

_You almost got me, Pop-chan. But I've made sure that the layers are in the same place as before! Do you remember which ones they were? I do, so read my thoughts carefully: Fire, Water, Ice, Sky, Earth, Light, Dark, and Music._

"I gotcha, Onpu-chan," Pop muttered.

The pinkette wasted no time in charging Onpu once again.

The purple ghostified Ojamajo laughed at that. "You only got lucky, Pop-chan! Do you really-?" Pop interrupted her with several consecutive blasts, starting with Water, then Ice, and then Fire. Three of Onpu's layers were eliminated again. "Nani yo?!"

"I'm not finished yet!" Pop shouted. She fired a blast of Earth and then a blast of Sky, destroying two more of Onpu's layers. "These…Are the last ones!"

"No!" Onpu screamed. She quickly flew out of the way, but Pop managed to give chase. "Take this!" She fired a volley of Dark balls and Light beams at Pop. To her horror, the pinkette evaded the Dark balls but was delighted to see the Light beams hit their target…and was once again horrified when said target fought through the damage and kept coming. "N-no! …NOO!"

"This is it!" Pop fired another dual volley, the first of Darkness and the next one of Light. They struck true and both of their corresponding layers were vaporized. "Last one! Time to make it count!"

Onpu decided that Pop was too much trouble to be worth turning into a ghost. "Sorry, Pop-chan…but you're too dangerous to be left alive!" Pop looked on in shock as Onpu gripped her with her telekinesis and then prepared a beam of magic. "I hope you won't hold it against me in the afterlife, Pop-chan…"

Pop shut her eyes…and opened them back up when the expected killing blow never happened. To her surprise, Onpu floated there, frozen. She looked once again at the All-in-One.

_Now's your chance! I can't hold her for much longer, Pop-chan!_

"Time to set you free, Onpu-chan," Pop said. She charged up another multi-elemental blast. "You've suffered like this for far too long!" Pop took aim and fired. "Tiro…Finale!"

The blast struck true…and the Music layer was destroyed, leaving Onpu once more in a daze. Pop repeated with her flashlight and immediately began sucking her in. This time, there wasn't much of a fight…

"**NOOOOOOOOOOOO!**" Onpu screamed as she vanished into the Vac-Drive.

And just like that…the fight was over. Pop had won. But just before she could properly appreciate the victory, a bright flash illuminated the arena…and she found herself back in the Music room. The lights were back on and the unearthly chill was gone.

To make sure everything was as it seemed, Pop looked at the All-in-One one last time.

_You…You did it! You saved me! And Hazuki-chan and Hana-chan are here too! Please Pop-chan! Forgive me for doubting you! Forgive me for losing hope! I just wish I could've fought my ghost self more and truly helped you. But…Oh nevermind. You've saved us! But…Hana-chan is hurt! Please tell me that-_

The message cut off right then and there. Pop looked at the last words in despair.

_Just what I needed…a reminder of what I did to Hana-chan…_ Pop thought bitterly. She shook her head. _No! I can't think of that! If I do, then I…then I!_

Pop felt herself growing weak. She quickly called Majo Toron to tell her the news, if only so she wouldn't forget if she lost consciousness.

"Moshi moshi?" Majo Toron answered, "Pop-chan?"

"I got them!" Pop said, panting, "I got Hazuki-chan, Hana-chan, Onpu-chan!"

"But what about your ghost half?"

"Nevermind about her. I fear that…if I go on…then…then…"

Pop fell unconscious right then and there.

"Pop-chan? Pop-chan! POP-CHAN!"

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry if this was rushed, but I was on a tight schedule with this chapter. I technically promised someone to upload this either on or before the 30****th**** of May. I will not break such a promise if I have the time.**


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